Blackberry's Christmas
by wtw
Summary: (First written December 2000, posted to ffnet June 2003) A special Christmas story for Watership Down fans. Blackberry is hurt by a car and winds up in the care of a local family. Will he ever return to Watership Down?
1. Default Chapter

Blackberry's Christmas  
  
A Watership Down fan fiction by Bill Welch  
  
Legal Notice, Lapine Vocabulary, and Chapter 1  
  
Legal Notice  
  
This Watership Down fan fiction ("Blackberry's Christmas") was completed in December 2000 by Bill Welch.  
  
This fan fiction is based on the concepts and characters of the novel "Watership Down", (c) 1972 by Richard Adams. The characters of Blackberry, Hazel, Fiver, Vilthuril, Bigwig, Dandelion, Bluebell, Clover, Boxwood, Haystack, Laurel, Kehaar, General Woundwort, the Black Rabbit of Inlé, Frith, El-ahrairah, Bob, and the Cane family are copyrighted to Richard Adams. Ginger is based on a nameless cat in Adams' novel. Other characters were created by Bill Welch for this fan fiction. Any resemblance of characters in this fan fiction to any persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.  
  
The author of this fan fiction (Bill Welch) is not affiliated with either "Watership Down" or Richard Adams. The author of this fan fiction (Bill Welch) will not accept any form of financial compensation for this fan fiction  
  
This fan fiction is in the public domain and can be reproduced without the author's consent, provided the following five conditions are met:  
  
a) This Legal Notice is to accompany any and all reproductions of this fan fiction.  
  
b) This Legal Notice is not to be subtracted from, added to, or edited in any form.  
  
c) This fan fiction is not to be purchased or sold at any price.  
  
d) The text of this fan fiction is not to be subtracted from, added to, or edited in any form.  
  
e) Illustration(s) may accompany reproductions of this fan fiction provided that no person demands or receives a fee for said illustration(s), the said illustration(s) can legally be viewed by persons of any age, the said illustration(s) are within the context of said fan fiction, and any text appearing in/with said illustration(s) also appears in the text of said fan fiction. The artist's name/signature, the date of creation of said illustration(s), and an artist copyright notice may accompany said illustration(s).  
  
If there is a situation where any of these five conditions are not met for any reason, then this fan fiction is not to be reproduced in said situation.  
  
The author of this fan fiction (Bill Welch) reserves the sole right to edit the text of this Legal Notice and the text of this fan fiction in exception to conditions b) and d).  
  
This Legal Notice is effective as of 12:00 P.M. Mountain Standard Time, Saturday, December 2, 2000 and has no expiry date.  
  
Other Credits:  
  
The Vanderbilt News Archive at the URL was used as a reference.  
  
Special thanks to Kaia Vaught and Daniel Slatford for their help with editing and bettering the story.  
  
End of Legal Notice Text  
  
Lapine Vocabulary  
  
Black Rabbit (of Inlé) = the rabbit who comes to claim those who die  
  
Bobstones = rabbit guessing game (number and nature of pebbles covered by paws)  
  
Efrafa = a hostile rabbit warren that was a virtual police state and that was run by General Woundwort  
  
El-Ahrairah = rabbit folk hero  
  
Elil = enemy of a rabbit (predator)  
  
Embleer = stinking (smell of fox) - can be used as a curse  
  
Flay = normal food (grass)  
  
Flayrah = good food  
  
Frith = the sun, rabbit god  
  
Fu-Inlé = night time (after Inlé rises)  
  
Hawk = any bird of prey  
  
Hlessi = a rabbit without a warren to call home (plural is hlessil)  
  
Homba = fox (plural is hombil)  
  
Hrair = thousand; any number over four  
  
Hraka = droppings - can be used as a curse  
  
Hrududu = any motor vehicle (plural is hrududil)  
  
Inlé = moon  
  
Iron Road = railroad  
  
Marli = mother rabbit  
  
Ni-Frith = noon  
  
Owsla = a rabbit warren's defence unit  
  
Pfeffa = cat  
  
Pylon Line = power lines  
  
Rah = leader, Chief Rabbit  
  
Silf = outdoors, on surface of ground (out of burrows)  
  
Silflay = eat outside  
  
Stop Running = die  
  
Tharn = state of shock and paralysis  
  
Zorn = destroyed, murdered  
  
Chapter One - The Yarrow  
  
"Frith and Inlé, Blackberry, will this never end? We shall be suffocated if this snow gets any deeper!"  
  
Bigwig was barely able to keep his head clear of the rapidly-building blanket of snow. It was accumulating on his fur and whiskers, and he had to continually shake his head to clear it away. Blackberry was even worse off. He wouldn't have been able to make much progress at all, were he not following Bigwig's track.  
  
"I have an idea, Bigwig. Let's get to that road and follow it for a way. I'm sure the snow-eating hrududu has taken the snow off of it; otherwise the other hrududil won't be able to run. It'll be faster going for us; at least we can get closer to the warren before having to go back into this."  
  
Bigwig growled and drew on his greater Owsla experience. "That might be dangerous. It'll be faster going for us, but also for any elil that like to stalk the roads."  
  
"I wouldn't expect any elil to be out in this weather," assured Blackberry, "Besides, we can't be home before it's completely dark now. And, I can sense that the storm is almost past us. On a clear night in deep snow, we really will be easy prey from the ground or the air." He paused, then urged, "Come on, let's go, then."  
  
Bigwig hesitated for a moment, then looked up at the thick swirl of heavy, wet snowflakes cascading towards the ground in the failing light. "We should have listened to Fiver," he muttered, "When shall I learn to trust him?"  
  
"Well, I guess we really thought he was delirious with his fever," Blackberry replied, "But, you're right, we should have heeded him. I guess this expedition seemed too important."  
  
"Too embleer easy," added Bigwig, with growing frustration in his voice.  
  
In reality, their expedition was for Fiver himself. Only days ago, when the worst spell of cold and snow of the winter had set in, Fiver had caught what seemed like a bad cold, but that soon turned into a high, burning fever. He was now unable to leave his burrow, and was under the constant watch of Vilthuril, his mate. It was Blackberry's idea to set out that morning to find any plants that may have any medicinal qualities - even when not in the lush green of summer - under the snow. Bigwig accompanied him for protection should they meet any elil on the way.  
  
They had wandered quite some distance toward where the sun rises, but had planned on being back before dark. The going had been quick earlier in the day, when the windswept snow provided a hardened crust to support their weight. However, by dusk, the older snow was buried in a substantial blanket of wet snow. This new snow couldn't support the rabbits' weight, and served as a frozen quagmire which greatly impeded their progress.  
  
Their mission had met with some success. Blackberry had sniffed out some yarrow by a river, and after some clawing and biting, the rabbits had freed from the ice what they hoped would be enough to help their friend.  
  
"Well, are we going to the road or not?" Blackberry looked expectantly at Bigwig, as it was Bigwig that would be breaking the trail through the snow.  
  
Bigwig wordlessly began to plow ahead through the snow in a new direction.  
  
There was little light left by the time they reached the road. Just as Blackberry had said, the snow-eating hrududu had already been by, leaving the surface of the road virtually clear. The two rabbits set off quickly down the road, remaining ready to dash into the snowbound ditch at the slightest danger. After some time, they decided that they were as close to their home as they were going to get from the road. They would now have to return to the snowy fields.  
  
Blackberry's strategy had succeeded. They would be back at Hazel's warren before the moon reached its highest peak. The moon was already visible as a disc behind a veil of parting clouds which were illuminated as though the moon were inside of them. Still, snow continued to fall, though at a lessened rate. It wouldn't be long before the air was completely clear and the hunters of the air and the ground would be active again.  
  
"Let's leave the road now," said Blackberry. Just then, both rabbits paused and turned to look up the road.  
  
The sound of the hrududu was evident even before the light beams of its glowing eyes stabbed upward into the lightening snowfall as it wound around a curve and rapidly climbed the opposite side of the hill from the rabbits.  
  
"Stay by the side; don't move," cautioned Bigwig, "Trust me - it will go right by. They have no interest in us. They might not even be alive to see us; sometimes I wonder. How can a living thing move so quickly?"  
  
Blackberry complied as the hrududu broke over the edge of the hill and began roaring down the road, straight towards them. The noise and light grew rapidly so that it seemed that the hrududu was indeed angry, and was about to strike them down. But, Bigwig remained still, and cautioned Blackberry to do likewise.  
  
After what seemed an eternity, the giant creature rushed past them, kicking up a wind that whipped stinging snow into their faces and scattered the leaves that Blackberry had dropped out of his fear. The dark seemed more intense with the sudden absence of the piercing light, and the air fell silent.  
  
"Embleer hrududu," grumbled Blackberry as he regained his composure. Half- blinded, he snuffled around the road to find as many of the leaves as he could. He was concentrating on his search, and barely heard Bigwig's urgent warning, and didn't at all hear the cause for the alarm.  
  
Suddenly, blinding light again fell on them. Bigwig was still at the side of the road, but Blackberry was right in the middle of the road - and now he was stricken tharn by the angry lights and roar of this second monster. Bigwig could only watch helplessly as the next events unfolded.  
  
Time seemed to stand still as the hrududu bore down on the petrified rabbit. Still, it was slowing as if it was afraid of rabbits, but when Blackberry regained his senses just then and tried to leap clear, he was struck by the front edge of the hrududu with a sickening thud. He was sent through the air some distance, tumbling along the road and into the bank of snow at the edge of the ditch. The hrududu itself continued down the road for some distance and finally stopped. Its eye-lights illuminated the snow in front of it with a glow more intense than Frith himself.  
  
As a man got out of the hrududu, Bigwig crouched into the snow bank as best he could, but the human took no notice of him. The man seemed to be looking for something - perhaps Blackberry himself. A very young-looking human boy - probably the man's son - got out and ran over to where Blackberry was lying. The boy seemed upset as far as Bigwig could tell, although Bigwig couldn't guess why.  
  
Yet another hrududu appeared from the same direction as the other two. This one came to a halt on the road just behind the other, and another man got out. Bigwig now ignored the hrududil and the men, and concentrated on the boy who was threatening his friend. He considered attacking the boy, but he then realized that this would be futile. If Blackberry was injured, he wouldn't be able to escape on his own. All Bigwig could do was wait and watch with increasing agony.  
  
Bigwig suddenly focused his attention to the men again. The father called to the boy, who had spent the entire time poring over Blackberry. The boy picked him up, much to Bigwig's horror. The father seemed to be upset again, and the boy burst into tears. At this the second man walked over took Blackberry into his hands. After a quick look-over, he gave Blackberry back to the boy, who seemed happy again. Then, the humans all got back into their hrududil. To Bigwig's distress, the boy took Blackberry with him. The hrududil promptly roared back to life and slowly, over what seemed an eternity, disappeared down the road. Darkness and silence again fell upon the scene.  
  
Bigwig, sick with grief, made his way over to where Blackberry had been lying. Fresh blood stained the snow, and Blackberry's scent mingled with that of the humans. After a few moments of shock and disbelief, Bigwig realized more fully what had happened. "My heart has joined the thousand, for my friend stopped running today," mumbled Bigwig. After a minute of further pondering the dire event that had just occurred, he made his way back towards home, carrying his share of the yarrow, and the terrible news that he now had to break to the others.  
  
*** Friday, December 20, 1968  
  
"Well, Josh, you made one great innkeeper tonight. I sure am proud of you." Greg Whitting, a high school teacher in Newbury, was returning to his home in Kingsclere with his wife, Karen, and their son Josh, their only child. They had been in Overton to attend a Christmas play put on by Josh's elementary school. Josh, seven years old and in the second grade, had been a very dramatic innkeeper..  
  
It was Josh's first time in the play, and he had had only one line in the whole play - "There is no room at the inn". But, he had delivered it with as much professionalism as a seven-year-old could muster (he had still waved at his parents in the crowd much to the chagrin of the play's director). As far as Josh was concerned, he was a star now.  
  
Josh had looked forward to the whole event with much enthusiasm. He had decided that he was going to be an actor when he grew up. In fact, a few weeks previously, he had dressed up as a fireman for the family's annual home fire drill. The only reason that they had had that drill was because Greg's father was a retired firefighter, who made annual visits to his children and grandchildren, and made sure there was a fire drill each time he was there. Josh had loved playing that role out, too.  
  
Playing in the Christmas play had served not only to broaden Josh's experience, but to help take his mind off of the recent unfortunate death of his puppy, Rascal. According to the town vet, Mr. Clifton, it had died of a heart defect. Josh had been crushed, and his parents were considering getting another puppy for him for Christmas.  
  
"I can't wait for Christmas, Daddy," piped up Josh.  
  
His father had been thinking the same thing about this day. Finally, Christmas break had arrived - twelve days off while the high school was closed for Christmas was always welcome relief for Greg, although he did have to grade some papers during that time. The weeks before Christmas were always busy ones: taking Josh to and from practice for the play, decorating the house and garden, and attending various Christmas events and parties.  
  
To help make the busyness easier to handle, he and his wife had finished their Christmas shopping in November - well ahead of the main holiday shopping crunch. They had the gifts wrapped in the store, so that when Josh eventually would find the hidden gifts, he still wouldn't know what they were. The presents weren't to come out until the tree was put up.  
  
"Slow down, dear - the road is getting icy," cautioned Karen.  
  
The drive back had been made somewhat treacherous by a snowstorm which had buried the area for most of the day. The roads had been plowed, but still were slick. Greg was already doing well under the speed limit, but just to satisfy his wife's fears, he slowed down a few more miles per hour.  
  
As the car topped yet another hill, the ever-watchful wife blurted out, "Watch out for that rabbit, dear." Indeed, a rabbit was right in the middle of the road, sniffing about for something. Greg didn't want to run down an animal if he could help it, especially with his animal-loving son in the car, and he wasn't able to swerve thanks to the tire grooves in the snow. He applied the brakes as much as he dared without losing control of the car. The tires didn't catch enough though, and the car obviously wasn't going to stop before running over the rabbit.  
  
The rabbit tried jumping out of the way at the last second, but it was clipped by the front of the car. Greg didn't see where it ended up after that, and Josh gasped at the prospect of a rabbit being killed.  
  
After the car was stopped, Greg muttered, "That bloody rabbit!". He was going to just drive on, but then felt that he should at least check to make sure there was no damage to the car. The headlights were still working, but the glass could have been cracked.  
  
"We hit it - I heard it!" said Josh, looking back on the road.  
  
"Well, I hope it's dead," grumbled Greg, getting out of the car to see if there was indeed any damage.  
  
While Greg was out looking at the front of the car, Josh shouted, "I see it!", then got out and ran to the other side of the road. He knelt down beside the rabbit that had just been hit by the car, to see if it was still alive, but he couldn't tell. He remembered some rudimentary first aid from his grandfather, so he didn't move it at all, but covered a cut on the rabbit's head with some tissues.  
  
While Josh tended to the unconscious rabbit, Greg was satisfied that the rabbit had done no damage. He was about to call Josh back to the car when another car appeared over the hill, slowed, and stopped behind the Whitting's car.  
  
"Need a hand, Greg?" It was Mr. Clifton, the vet.  
  
"Nay, just hit a bloody rabbit," replied Greg, "I'm just about to be off again. Thanks anyhow, Jack."  
  
"I was just coming back from that play," replied the vet, "And a fine job your little one did. You should be proud of him."  
  
"Aye, I am; Josh is going to be performing for the Queen someday."  
  
Jack concurred, "I wouldn't be surprised. He's got natural talent, I can tell."  
  
"Thank you." Greg paused. "Well, we've got to get home to dinner," said Greg, then called over to Josh, "Come on now, Josh, leave that bloody thing alone and let's go."  
  
"But, Daddy, it's still alive. Can't I keep it?"  
  
"Keep it! Are you daft? It's dead, can't you see? And I don't want one of those filthy things as a pet! They're wild animals!"  
  
At this Josh promptly looked at the rabbit and burst into tears.  
  
Jack walked over and took the rabbit from Josh. "There, there, lad, let me see it." He felt around for broken bones, and observed some blood on its head. "Looks like a concussion of sorts to me. It'll be fine again with some rest." He gave the rabbit back to the boy, and called out, "No, Greg, it is alive."  
  
"Please, Daddy, please?"  
  
"I'm sure it'll be fine to take it home, Greg," said Karen, who was now poking her head out of the car, "Besides, with Rascal gone, we could use a pet."  
  
Greg rolled his eyes and sighed. "Oh, all right, you can keep it for now," he conceded, "But if we have any trouble with it, we're getting rid of it."  
  
With that, Josh giggled with delight, bounded over to the car with his new friend and got in. Jack and Greg also got back in their cars. "I mean it, Josh, any trouble and it's gone," Greg repeated as he drove along the road again behind Jack.  
  
"Don't worry, Daddy, he'll make a good pet."  
  
"I'm sure he'll grow on us, dear," added Karen.  
  
Greg simply mumbled something and drove on. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - A Lost Friend  
  
Bigwig was greatly dreading having to go back to the warren. He tried thinking of how to break the news. Try as he might, there was no way to soften the blow. Blackberry, one of the key founders of the warren and the popular thinker and problem-solver, was dead. It had happened so suddenly that there was no time to prepare. The whole concept was as strange as it was devastating.  
  
Now alone, Bigwig crept along in the dark through the snow, numbed to the danger of elil. He kept the yarrow in his mouth; he was at least intent on getting back to the warren to help Fiver. It would be unthinkable to lose two members of the warren in the same season - and the winter was still young.  
  
When he finally had climbed the slope of Watership Down and entered the warren, half the warren pounced on him with questions - "Did you find anything?" "Was there any elil?" "Did the storm trouble you?" It wasn't long before the inevitable question: "Where is Blackberry?"  
  
Bigwig dropped the yarrow on the burrow floor, mumbling, "There. Blackberry found this. I'm sure that it will help Fiver." He paused, trembling, before adding, "But Blackberry won't be coming back. He was killed by a hrududu."  
  
The warren fell into silence. Hazel-rah was the first to speak. "Bigwig... Are you sure? It can't be..."  
  
"Oh, embleer FRITH, Hazel!" snapped Bigwig, "Of course I'm sure! Do you think I would lie? Do you think I'm blind? I saw it strike him down, I saw the blood, I saw the men take him away..." Bigwig's voice trailed off, and he closed his eyes. "I'm sorry, Hazel-rah. I didn't mean to... I can't..."  
  
Clover, one of the hutch does from Nuthanger Farm that Blackberry, Bigwig and several others had helped break out, spoke up. "I'm very sorry to hear this, Bigwig - we all are. There's nothing we can do now... We have to go on without him." She hopped over and nuzzled the usually stouthearted fighter.  
  
The news spread quickly throughout the warren; shock and grief were the common reaction. Even those who had not associated much with Blackberry were mournful at the news. But, there was one who did not react in that way.  
  
As Vilthuril brought the yarrow to her barely-awake mate and started to nose bits of the plant towards him to eat, Fiver stirred and gratefully ate it and mumbled, "I'm glad that they went, I suppose. This shall help, there's no doubt. But, I fear for Blackberry greatly. He didn't return, did he?"  
  
"He's dead," replied Vilthuril simply.  
  
Fiver didn't show grief even at this point. "I told them not to go... not just then. They should have waited until tomorrow." He paused. "No, Vilthuril, Blackberry's not dead. But, he's in great danger. And I have no idea just what it is."  
  
"Fiver, Bigwig saw the whole thing. A hrududu hit him. You know a rabbit wouldn't survive that. Besides, the men took him after. Even if he was alive then..."  
  
"It's the men, Vilthuril... The danger is from the men... It's just not so clear..."  
  
Of COURSE it's the men, thought Vilthuril, then added out loud, "Get some sleep, dear. You need it more than anyone." Vilthuril nudged her mate and settled beside him for some sleep herself. But sleep would be a while coming. Vilthuril, like everyone else, was thinking about the warren's loss, while Fiver was trying to understand what was troubling him about Blackberry.  
  
He is alive. But where is he? What shall happen to him? Will we ever see him again?  
  
*** In the morning, the news came about to Kehaar, the rabbits' seagull friend, as he returned to catch up on what the rabbits were doing. He had left his home by the sea when winter had cracked down suddenly and returned as just as he had promised after helping the rabbits escape from Woundwort.  
  
"Meester Plackperry ees dead? Ees no good, no... Can't be true..." But, the forlorn look in the rabbits' eyes did not lie. "I'm sorry for you... ee vas good friend..." Truthfully, Blackberry had never been one of Kehaar's favourites. But, he knew that the loss of Blackberry would depress probably the whole warren, at least for a number of days.  
  
Kehaar flew away again after that. He didn't want to stay in that place of mourning any more than a barnyard with a multitude of menacing cats. Some may have thought him a fair-weather friend, but the truth was, he couldn't imagine anything he could do or say to lift the spirits of his friends, so he thought it best to just leave for a while.  
  
*** The shock had not worn off much in the warren, and most of the rabbits chose to stay silent during morning silflay. Dandelion was not telling a story as he might normally be doing, and Bigwig was not helping to train and pick for service the Owsla hopefuls as was his usual activity.  
  
Meanwhile, Vilthuril was at least heartened to see that Fiver seemed to be showing some signs of recovery, although he was still quite ill. Vilthuril made sure that there was still enough yarrow left for further treatment if needed.  
  
"You seem a bit better, Fiver. I think the yarrow is taking."  
  
"Yes. Thank you, Vilthuril."  
  
"Don't thank me. Thank Bigwig... and Blackberry."  
  
At this Fiver sighed and added wearily, "If only I knew where he was, we could send the Owsla to find him. If we broke those hutch rabbits out of the farm, we can-"  
  
"Fiver, I'll have none of this," snapped Vilthuril, "He's gone, for Frith's sake. We have to go on."  
  
"But Vilthuril, I see these things. You know I've been right before - about the existence of this place, about Hazel not being killed by the farmer, about the danger of Bigwig and Blackberry going out yesterday..."  
  
Vilthuril considered that for only a moment. "You're telling me that a rabbit can survive being crushed by a giant hrududu? And being taken by man for who knows what reason? Dinner, perhaps? There are limits, dear..."  
  
"No, no, not dinner. Vilthuril, that's it! Let's go talk to the hutch rabbits. They'll tell you. Men often keep rabbits for companions. Just like dogs and cats..."  
  
"I think you need more rest, dear. The more you sleep, the quicker you'll get better."  
  
"I do feel tired still. Just promise me that you'll talk to them. They'll tell you what it's like to be a human pet. Ask them if they would kill Blackberry or not. He isn't dead Vilthuril, I know it. I wouldn't lie to you."  
  
Vilthuril growled then said, "All right, if that will calm your mind. I'll talk to Clover." With that, she turned and made her way down the run towards Clover's burrow.  
  
*** "Please don't die, Mr. Bunny. You'll be okay." Josh kept the rabbit on his lap and wrapped in an old blanket found on the car floor. He kept urging it to stay alive the entire way home.  
  
As soon as the Whitting's parked in their garage, Josh immediately began looking for a place for his new pet. He wanted to keep it in his bedroom, but his parents firmly insisted that it stay in the garage for the night. There weren't many places for it to hide or get into to cause trouble when it woke up. A cage would have to be found for it later.  
  
After asking his mother for some more old blankets that had been used as Rascal the puppy's bed, Josh made a quick bed in one of the corners of the garage. Josh stayed with the rabbit until his mother called him for dinner (which was later than normal that day due to the pageant).  
  
During dinner, Josh suddenly announced that he had a name for his new pet. "I'm calling him Hopscotch."  
  
"Who?" Greg looked up at his son. "Oh, right. Your little rabbit friend. Well, I suppose that's as good a name as any."  
  
"But it's not even from Scotland, I bet," smiled Karen.  
  
"How do you know? It might be..." protested Josh.  
  
"Well, was it carrying bagpipes with it?"  
  
"Aw, Mum!".  
  
After dinner, Josh went back to the garage to check on the still-sleeping Hopscotch. He was still there, petting and talking to the rabbit when his mother called him in for bed.  
  
"But, Mum, tomorrow's Saturday."  
  
"It's ten o'clock, dear; you need some sleep. We have a busy day tomorrow with finding a Christmas tree. Don't worry, the rabbit's not going anywhere." I hope it wakes up, thought Karen, losing two pets will be too much for him.  
  
Before going to bed however, Josh found some lettuce in the refrigerator and put it on the garage floor by Hopscotch.  
  
*** It was several hours after the family was asleep when Blackberry finally roused. The first thing that he was aware of was a throbbing ache that seemed to fill his head. He then thought that he must have fallen very ill, and called weakly for his mate. He tried to get up, but the headache only doubled in strength. Laying quickly back down, Blackberry became aware of something else that was amiss.  
  
He wasn't in the his burrow at Watership Down anymore. He couldn't be. The smell was all wrong. The nest wasn't packed dirt and fur, rather it was a strange, soft, and warm material. It was like some cloth, a blanket, some man-thing. Had his mate found this and dragged it into the burrow? That explained everything; he was home after all. Opening his eyes, he called for his mate again. It was nearly pitch dark, all except for strange patches of half-light, made blurry by his vision. Now, how was light getting into the burrow? He got up to investigate, then shrank back down in pain, as well as fear as a smell began to strike a memory. It was a man- smell, from something that could only be around men. What was that smell?  
  
It dawned on Blackberry - it was a hrududu. There was a hrududu in his burrow. No, that was silly. What was going on? By this time, he became aware of something else - that he was in a very large burrow - and it wasn't Watership Down after all, without a doubt. When he had called for his mate, not only had there been no answer, but the echoes had suggested an immense size to this burrow. It had to be large, to contain a hrududu.  
  
And why was he here, then? He thought back to what he remembered doing last. Normally, that would have been listening to stories in the Honeycomb before heading to his burrow. But that wasn't the case this time. His mind began to clear a little, and he remembered being far out in the snow with Bigwig. Perhaps they had been forced to find shelter here for some reason.  
  
"Bigwig? Are you in here?"  
  
There was no response. It was futile, as there was no hint of Bigwig's scent anyway. Whatever had happened, whatever had caused Blackberry to be in this place, had taken Bigwig away. Why was he kept here? If there was a hrududu here, there must be men, as well. Did the men know he was here? Had they brought him here? If that were so, why couldn't he remember it?  
  
Before drifting back to an uneasy sleep, Blackberry caught the scent of some greenery nearby. To his surprise, he recognized lettuce. How could there be fresh lettuce in midwinter? Feeling hungry, he forgot the strangeness of this and crawled over to the lettuce for a few mouthfuls. As long as it was there, he wasn't going to fret about it. He found the strange, hard floor much colder than the soft nest he woke up in, so returned to the blanket and fell fast asleep again.  
  
*** "Good morning, Hopscotch. Did you like the lettuce?"  
  
Blackberry heard strange noises within his slumber, and alarm instantly kicked in. Upon opening his eyes, he noted that the huge burrow was awash with light, and then alarm turned to terror when he saw a young human crouched beside him and reaching to grab him. Letting out a screech, Blackberry leapt up and bounded for the nearest shelter he could find: which was underneath the huge hrududu.  
  
Unfortunately, this burst of activity redoubled the pain of his injury again, and he became disoriented as his vision blurred. He didn't see the boy reaching under to grab him again. He was aware of being grabbed and dragged by the boy's hands. He was too tharn at this point to do anything, until he was hoisted high into the air.  
  
Blackberry had never been far off of the ground before unless he had climbed up on something sturdy like a rock. Being away from the ground was unsettling and terrifying. And what was this boy's intention? Not wanting to discover it the hard way, Blackberry got over his shock, turned his head, and bit into one of the boy's hands.  
  
At this the boy yelled and suddenly dropped Blackberry. While this is what Blackberry was hoping for, he was not hoping to land roughly on the hard burrow floor. The wind was knocked out of him, and coupled with the splitting headache, he blacked out again. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three - The Pet  
  
Mrs. Whitting was bandaging her son's cleansed wound in the kitchen. After she was done, she added in as motherly a tone as possible, "Josh, you should have known better. It's a wild animal. And I've told you a thousand times not to try catching them."  
  
"But, Mum, it was already in the garage. And you said I could keep it," sobbed Josh.  
  
"I know that," his mother replied, trying to circumvent seven-year-old logic, "But you tried to pick it up, and wild animals don't like being picked up, dear," replied his mother.  
  
"Oh," said Josh simply, looking at his stinging, bandaged hand, "But I picked it up on the road last night."  
  
"Yes, dear, but it wasn't awake then."  
  
The father entered the kitchen just then. "Well, it's not dead, Josh - it was just hurt again when you dropped it on the floor." He sighed. "I knew this was a bad idea. I'll see if Jack knows somewhere that will take in a wild rabbit. Or we could just let the thing go."  
  
Josh's eyes lit up at his father's first words, but then reflected angst again. "Daddy, no!" protested Josh, "He's my bunny! I want to keep him! Can't I keep him?" Josh started sobbing again.  
  
"Even after he attacks you, you think he's a pet?" asked his father sternly.  
  
"I promise I won't pick him up anymore. Can't we just put him in a cage?"  
  
"Son, wild rabbits aren't meant for cages. And we don't have a cage. And I'm not buying one for some crazy rabbit."  
  
"Just until he's tame?" pleaded the boy, "Then he can be a house bunny."  
  
"A house rabbit? Oh, great. I've heard Jack's stories. He's clipped so many rabbits' claws. Do you know that they chew and tear up everything they see?"  
  
"Not in a cage, Daddy. He'll be a good bunny when he's tame. I promise." Josh looked up with pleading eyes.  
  
"Well, it's worth a try, dear," said the mother, "The Richard's have an old cage that they had for their rabbit before it died. They haven't had any pets since, but I think they might still have the cage. What harm could it do?" Seeing her husband's expression, she added, "And, if it's still trouble, then we'll give it away."  
  
Josh hopped around happily, forgetting his hand. That is all that he wanted - a chance to keep his bunny and prove that it would be a good pet.  
  
"Fine," conceded Greg, "I suppose if Josh really wants to keep it, even if it did bite him, I'll give it another chance. Karen, I'm going to see if I can borrow that cage from the Richard's, then we're off for the tree. We're late enough as it is."  
  
Before the Whitting's left, Hopscotch was resting peacefully in his cage. It was about three feet by two feet, more than enough room for a rabbit. Its size would make it difficult to carry around, and it had to be reassembled. The four wire sides snapped snugly into the brown plastic base (supposedly a chew-resistant plastic), and the roof snapped neatly onto the four sides to make a very sturdy cage, indeed.  
  
*** Blackberry was running for his life, trying to get back to Watership Down before Woundwort and his Efrafans had destroyed the warren. The dog from the farm was hot on his heels, barking threats of pain and disembowelment. The beech tree loomed ahead, high atop the hill. Efrafans were visible all around, digging desperately, trying to break into the warren and kill any rabbit that they found. Perhaps he was already too late.  
  
While Blackberry was looking at his endangered home, rather than the ground ahead of him, his right front foot caught in a thick clump of crabgrass. He lost his balance, and tumbled. Within a moment, the dog was upon him, its jaws sinking deep into his torso. Blackberry gasped and squealed, looking for one last time at his home - which would suffer a far worse fate than he when the dog didn't arrive to disperse the Efrafans. Everything blurred as he was slung around like a feather trapped in a wind-blown spider web, and then the world went dim.  
  
Awakening with a start, Blackberry found himself still in the hrududu's burrow, illuminated by daylight. The hrududu was gone, but certainly it would return soon; the place reeked of it.  
  
After recovering himself, Blackberry's mind was clearer now and he realized something else now. He was inside of a cage, not unlike the one that had held the hutch rabbits that he helped free the previous summer. Blackberry felt a surge of panic. He wanted to get out of there, and he could see that there was no way out.  
  
Inside the cage with Blackberry was a pile of flayrah - lettuce and carrots There was no doubt where that came from. But, Blackberry was feeling a little hungry again, and there appeared to be no flay of any kind except what the humans were giving him. Why were they giving him flay? Did they want him to be a hutch rabbit now? He cautiously looked around, and after discerning that no humans were present, started on his meal. He continued thinking. The hutch rabbits were prisoners of the men. I can't become a hutch rabbit! I have to be free! I have to go home! I can't be here!  
  
He snuffled at the wire. It seemed to Blackberry that wire was everywhere in the world of man. It was also found fastened to fence posts, and it was something like thick wire that made up the tall iron trees - the pylons which carried humming strands of what seemed to be more wire high in the sky. It was the same type of material that made up the iron roads (which were also usually straight) that carried odd, roaring beasts of unimaginable size and length. And, it was the same kind of wire from which snares were made, the snares which had claimed the lives of hrair rabbits and which had nearly killed Bigwig the previous summer. Obviously, whatever this material was, it was important to men. Come to think of it, thought Blackberry, the hrududu must be made of this stuff, too. Perhaps Bigwig was right and the hrududil aren't alive at all. Then it hit him. The hrududu was gone; the burrow was empty except for Blackberry and his cage. The men must be gone, too. This would be a good opportunity to escape.  
  
Hopefully chomping down on the wire, he soon learned that the wire couldn't be severed with his teeth, and Bigwig's choking words came back to him from the day the snare nearly killed the powerful fighter - No good biting wire. Blackberry thought, If Bigwig can't fight wire, no one can. He tried to push the wire off of the its base, but it was attached firmly. He was hopelessly trapped.  
  
*** "Clover, may I have a word with you?"  
  
"Certainly, Vilthuril. What is it?"  
  
"Did the men treat you well?"  
  
Clover was silent for a while. "Uh... Well... We did have enough flay to eat, and we didn't worry about elil... But, I wouldn't go back to that life. It is similar to what I've heard of the old Efrafa. Am I right? Efrafans were safe under Woundwort, but no rabbit could be truly free - except maybe the privileged few."  
  
"Yes, but... those who disobeyed often vanished with no questions asked. Anyway, about the men... would they have killed you?"  
  
"Oh, no. We were their pets, like their cats or dogs."  
  
"You weren't going to become their dinner? I've heard that they would have it at that."  
  
"Well, I should think not. None of the others with us were taken. We were pets, no doubt. Men just don't kill their pets."  
  
Vilthuril thought again, and came up with a different angle. "But, you hutch rabbits are different from us. You were bred as pets, is that not so?"  
  
"Well, I guess so. I know our natural instincts are weaker than yours, but we're improving."  
  
"That's not what I meant, really. I just wondered how men would treat a wild rabbit, should they catch one. Would a wild rabbit be their dinner?"  
  
"I wouldn't know..." Clover paused. "Wait a moment, I do remember some seasons back, a wild rabbit did stay with us for a time. The men put him in with us. His name was Reed, and he had been very badly hurt, apparently a dog had mauled him, from what we could discern from his mumbling. He wasn't awake much. And, he stopped running after a day or two. The men put him in the ground after that."  
  
"The men didn't kill him?"  
  
"No, the dog did, Vilthuril."  
  
"They truly didn't try to kill him?"  
  
"No, not at all," Clover paused. "May I ask why you are curious about Reed?"  
  
Vilthuril looked intently at the former hutch rabbit. "I was just thinking of Blackberry. I was wondering what would happen to him if he is alive and the humans have him... as a... pet."  
  
"But, he's dead." replied Clover simply.  
  
Vilthuril shook her head. "I'm not so sure. I met Bigwig on my way here. He said Blackberry wasn't crushed by the hrududu's tires, like you would expect. He was hit somehow, but not crushed. I'm not sure how this would be, but that's what Bigwig said."  
  
Clover blinked. "But, I thought that Bigwig said he is dead."  
  
"He did say that he is dead. But, he also said that the men took Blackberry away. What would they do with a dead wild rabbit? Would they take it with them?"  
  
"Well," replied Clover, "I suppose they would put it in the ground, as they did with Reed. That's what they do with animals that stop running, as far as I've heard."  
  
Vilthuril's voice grew a little in excitement. "But they took Blackberry away. Would men take an injured wild rabbit away with them?"  
  
"Uh... uh... I... suppose they might. After all, Reed-"  
  
"Thank you, Clover! That's what I wanted to hear!"  
  
Clover watched in a confused state as Vilthuril hopped quickly back out of the burrow and down the run. 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - The Tree  
  
This time of year had become familiar to Kehaar. The air turned sharply colder, the sun slunk along the southern horizon, and the nights grew long. The natural signs were rather dull to him, though. What Kehaar liked to do was observe the yearly ritual of the humans at this time. The spectacle was quite impressive from the air.  
  
Lights of a various colors would be strung around the men's towns, hung on the branchless trees that bore even brighter lights which illuminated the trails that the cars ran on, and which gulls like Kehaar loved to alight on.  
  
The humans would bustle in and out of immensely large stores, from which they brought things out and to their own homes. People seemed to gather not only food like this, but any manner of fascinating objects such as clothes and toys for the children. Of course, this packing activity happened all year, but much more so at this time.  
  
Large groups of people would gather and sing is that strange man-fashion outside of this nest and that one. The singing was strangely beautiful, but not so much as the sounds of the sea that wafted over the cliff side nests in the summer.  
  
Another oddity was the men's interest in evergreen trees. It had taken Kehaar quite some time of curious surveillance to figure out what he knew about this ritual. The men would get their car to run out to some forest, at which point, they would select some young evergreen tree. This tree would be severed at its base, at carried by the car back to the humans' nest. The tree was taken inside and decorated lavishly with lights and glittering objects, and was put by a large window to be seen by the world..  
  
These activities - the packing, the decorating, the singing, the tree- harvesting - were indeed all beyond Kehaar's comprehension. But they always surrounded this time of year, when the days were at their shortest.  
  
I guess it doesn't matter why they are doing it, thought Kehaar, but it sure is interesting to observe it. Kehaar was also trying to take his mind off of the death of Blackberry. The Watership rabbits were his best friends outside of the seagull world, and the sad news had depressed him to no end.  
  
*** Blackberry was dozing again, having satisfied his hunger on the flay left inside his cage. Just now, an odd noise began to grow. Blackberry recognized this as the muffled sound of an approaching hrududu.  
  
The far wall of the burrow suddenly opened and Blackberry saw the hrududu again. It crawled back into its burrow, bearing an evergreen tree on its back. Blackberry didn't consider the strangeness of this sight, for at that terrifying moment, Blackberry thought that he was going to be crushed, but his squealing stopped the hrududu short. The boy that had tried to catch him earlier, a man, and a woman, presumably a family, got out of the hrududu. The man and woman carried the tree away, but Blackberry didn't see where they took it, for he was too busy trying to hide under his blanket. The boy was kneeling outside of his wire web was making odd cooing noises at him, much to Blackberry's distress. Eventually, the woman called the child away and Blackberry was left in peace.  
  
*** "I get to put on the angel!"  
  
Everyone pitched in to decorate the tree. Greg and Karen carried the tree into the house from the garage, leaving a trail of needles. Greg then struggled to install the tree into its tree stand on the living-room floor while Karen cleaned up the needles. Then, the parents put up the light strings after Josh helped find the burnt-out bulbs and replace them. Greg took on that especially tedious task just for one string of bulbs where all of the lights had to be on, or all would not work. After the lights were on, the green and red bands of tinsel were wrapped around the tree carefully by Karen and Josh. Then, everyone put on the various glittering glass ornaments. Every year, at least one or two would be broken in the process. The number of glass ornaments had been slowly diminishing, but there were still plenty left, although there were no more complete sets. At this point, the silvery strands of tinsel were hung lavishly on top of everything, until the tree looked almost like a cone-shaped waterfall  
  
The last step in the decoration was the angel, which was put on the top of the tree. This honour was reserved for Josh, who was hoisted up so that he could drop the angel onto the very top bough of the tree. The angel had only an inch to spare under the ceiling. The tree looked perfect.  
  
"Oh, rats! I remember that string from last year," grumbled Greg, as one of the bulb strings flickered and went off. He wiggled several of the bulbs, but to no avail. He stood back and let out a loud sigh. "Oh, well - it's just one string. The tree still looks okay." Greg didn't feel that way, though. He was a perfectionist at many things, and decorating the Christmas tree was definitely one of them. Already, he was planning on spending all day and night if need be to get the lights working again.  
  
Just then, the lights blinked back on of their own accord. "Ah!" beamed Greg, "Perfect again!" After waiting for a couple of minutes, the lights were still maintaining their colourful vigil on the tree. He never gave the lights another thought.  
  
"Mum! Can Hopscotch see the tree?"  
  
"Oh, Josh, I think the rabbit should stay in his cage. He's still wild, I'm sure."  
  
"Can't I just take the cage in here?"  
  
Greg replied to this one, "It's too heavy for you, son."  
  
"Well, can you carry it?"  
  
"Leave the rabbit where he is, Josh. I don't want a wild rabbit running around the house."  
  
"But he won't if he's in his cage," reasoned the boy, but he knew to stop his quest when his father gave him one of his "end-of-discussion" looks.  
  
Having failed at this, Josh returned to the garage and sat next to the cage. He spent the rest of the day there, talking to the terrified rabbit, and trying to pet him, only to pull out his hand when Hopscotch snarled at him. Josh only left when he was called back in briefly to eat dinner. And instead of playing with his peas and potatoes and finishing last as usual, he gobbled his meal right down, excused himself, and returned to his new friend.  
  
The weather was turning colder again, and the garage - which wasn't as well- insulated as the rest of the house, was cold enough for one's breath to be seen. Karen peeked into the garage and suggested that Josh spend some time warming up in the house. Josh cheerfully declined his mother's invitation.  
  
Returning to watching the evening news, Karen finally said to her husband, "Dear, I think I'm going to put Hopscotch's cage in the house. Josh will never leave it alone, and it's so cold in the garage. I don't want to see him catch a cold and be miserable during Christmas." Seeing her husband open his mouth to object, she quickly added, "Don't worry - the rabbit won't leave the cage, so there won't be any harm done. I'll see to that."  
  
Greg let out a sigh, and relented, "Oh, all right, but we mustn't spoil the boy."  
  
Karen got up and called back, "Not to worry, this is just for now."  
  
Josh was delighted when he was told that the rabbit and cage were moving inside. Josh had wanted Hopscotch to see the Christmas tree, so he directed his mother to put it in the corner of the living room by the tree.  
  
"Josh, the presents have to go there."  
  
"Aw, Mum, just so he can see the tree, please?"  
  
"Oh, fine, then," she replied, plunking the cage down by the tree and evoking a squeal out of Hopscotch.  
  
Josh knelt by the cage again, adding, "And, Hopscotch can stay in my room tonight!"  
  
"Don't push your luck, dear. I'm not carrying that thing up those stairs. Leave the rabbit here - and just for tonight!"  
  
"All right, Mum." Josh didn't care that much, he was just glad that Hopscotch was able to see the glorious tree. He wondered what his bunny thought of the colourful sight.  
  
When Hopscotch buried himself in his blanket, the family laughed. Josh started to open the door, but his father cautioned, "I wouldn't do that if I were you - you'll get bit again, and then it'll escape - then you'll really be in trouble."  
  
Josh closed the door and resumed watching his hiding rabbit, hoping it would show itself again. But, Hopscotch appeared to fall asleep and remained under his blanket for the rest of the evening, while the family collected the Christmas gifts and piled them under and around the tree and the rabbit's cage, then settled in to watch television.  
  
*** Laying in his cage by the hrududu, Blackberry's fear of his eerie new surroundings had diminished somewhat. He still couldn't recall just how he had gotten here, but he reckoned that the humans had probably found him hurt or sick. And, he had no idea where Bigwig might be - was he hurt or sick, too? Blackberry just lay there, trying not to despair.  
  
It was hard not to be miserable, though, when the boy returned and insisted on staring and making noises at him. The young human refused to leave, and whenever he touched the cage, Blackberry would growl as ferociously as he knew how, and even tried to nip at the boy's hands whenever he thought he had a chance at reaching them.  
  
After a long while, when the daylight in the hrududu's burrow was beginning to fade, the boy's mother appeared, and must have called the boy away, as he promptly left. Blackberry took advantage of the lull in torture to get some much-needed sleep. No doubt, the boy would return again.  
  
It was dark, but suddenly the hrududu's burrow was bathed in light again, as a light on the roof of the burrow suddenly shone. His curiosity vanished when he saw the boy yet again coming to stare at him and "talk" to him. This is never going to end, thought Blackberry, burying his head under his paws and the blanket.  
  
Blackberry was almost tharn before things became even worse. Now, the boy's mother was there. She reached out and actually lifted the cage into the air. Blackberry shut his eyes tight, and flattened himself against the bottom of the cage, trying to keep his balance. What are they going to do? Are they going to kill me now? Am I their dinner? Blackberry had no reason to think otherwise.  
  
When he opened his eyes again, he was still being carried, and was inside a much warmer and brighter part of the man-burrow. He hardly had time to marvel at the strange sights that he had never seen before, such as the numerous lights that seemed to be the source of all light and heat in the burrow. The mother finally put the cage down roughly on the burrow floor, surprising Blackberry, as he squealed in protest. Finally, things were still.  
  
Blackberry didn't recognize the tree that had earlier been carried by the hrududu. He was too terrified of his new surroundings to notice the glowing tree. He had never been inside a man-burrow before, and he quickly decided that he hated it much more than the hrududu's burrow, which had been bad enough. He protested by growling and squealing at the boy who insisted on pestering him, but to no avail. Finally, when some lettuce was placed in his cage, Blackberry nibbled on it a bit, then dug under the blanket to hide from the human threat as best he could. I can still smell them, but at least I can't see them, thought Blackberry, and they can't see me.  
  
*** "I'm sorry, Fiver, I should never have doubted you. Blackberry is alive, at least, I don't see why he can't be."  
  
"Well, you're one, Vilthuril," replied Fiver, "But the rest of the warren is a different situation. If just you and I were to go out searching, we'd fail for sure. Neither one of us would survive out there. We'd need the Owsla along, and I know neither Hazel nor Bigwig would stand for it."  
  
"Then, we'll have to hope," whispered Vilthuril, "And it wouldn't hurt to try persuading a rabbit or two in any event." Vilthuril nuzzled her mate, but he had already fallen asleep from the exhaustion of his dwindling fever and the worry over Blackberry.  
  
*** Blackberry was standing in a wood of great evergreens. Fiver called out to him, but he seemed not to hear. Blackberry snuffled about on the needle- strewn forest floor, apparently looking for flay. However, food of any value was rarely seen in such forests.  
  
Fiver could smell something threatening now. Wrinkling his nose, he soon recognized the scent. It was smoke. The danger was immediate. They were on a very dry forest bed, and if a fire was nearby, surely it would soon consume the entire place. It was imperative to leave immediately, although with wind blocked by the trees, Fiver knew not which direction to take.  
  
"Blackberry!" called Fiver again, stamping the needle-strewn ground, "We have to get out of here! There's a fire coming!"  
  
Again, Blackberry seemed ignorant of Fiver's urgent warning, so Fiver decided to hop closer. Just then, Fiver realized that he was now looking at Blackberry from high up in one of the trees - how he got there he could not recall. Looking into the distance, the fire was obvious and advancing towards them. Tree after tree exploded instantly into flame, and the roar of the fire was growing by the moment.  
  
Looking down again, Fiver could see that Blackberry was now aware of the danger. However, his friend was now encased in a wire cage. Blackberry bit and clawed at it, but could not escape. He began squealing and thrashing at the unyielding wire.  
  
Fiver thought that he should try to get out of the tree to help his friend, but was just then torn rapidly away from the tree by an unseen force. He floated away from the desperately frightened Blackberry, and watched in horror as the flames began consuming the trees under which Blackberry was trapped. The agonized squeals came to him over the roar of the fire, and as Fiver continued to float strangely away, both the squeals and the roar receded.  
  
"Blackberry! Get out! Get out! Run! Run!"  
  
"Fiver! For Frith's sake, what is wrong?"  
  
Fiver could feel Vilthuril nuzzling him sharply in the darkness. Fiver was too frightened to reply.  
  
Vilthuril continued, "You were squealing something about Blackberry and some danger... Can you remember?"  
  
"I... I... Fire... Trapped..."  
  
"You were in a fire?"  
  
"Yes... No, Blackberry was... I could see him, but I couldn't get to him."  
  
"What does that mean?"  
  
"Oh, Vilthuril, the danger that I couldn't understand - now I know... It's the fire, that's the danger."  
  
"If Blackberry is with the men, how could the danger be fire?"  
  
"I don't know... I... I... just don't know." Fiver remained awake for the rest of the night, trembling as Vilthuril tried in vain to comfort him 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five - The Escape  
  
"Josh, the rabbit's not going to do anything; it's been asleep for two hours. And I think you need some sleep too," said Greg as the television news went to advertisements. He wondered how the boy wasn't bored with the rabbit which was still lying motionless under the blanket.  
  
Karen agreed, "Yes, dear, you need your sleep. Hopscotch will still be here in the morning."  
  
"Aw, Mum," protested Josh.  
  
"If you can get yourself in bed, I might be able to tell you a bedtime story," bribed his mother.  
  
Josh loved his mother's bedtime stories, so he leapt upstairs and was in bed within several minutes. Karen followed to tell the promised story. Since it was so close to Christmas, that night's story was an abridged version of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol". And instead of ghosts visiting Scrooge, Karen had the Rabbits of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Future help point out the errors of Scrooge's ways. This last twist thrilled Josh immensely, but Karen also was mindful of the nightmare that had had Josh screaming an hour after going to sleep the previous night. She felt that she didn't want to introduce any more ghosts to Josh's active imagination right now.  
  
After the story was finished, Josh still insisted that the door be left open a bit and that the hall light be left on. Karen obliged, in hopes that this would get Josh to sleep more quickly.  
  
"Good night, dear."  
  
"Good night, Mum. That was a good story."  
  
"Thank you. Get to sleep now." With that, Karen went back downstairs and told Greg that she, too, was going to sleep.  
  
"I'll just finish watching the news," called Greg, "then I'm going to bed, too."  
  
*** When Blackberry awoke, he was still lying under blanket inside his cage. He poked his head out, and saw that the man-burrow was dark, except for the odd colourful glow of the tree next to him. He stared up at it, and would have been unaware of what was underneath the flashy exterior had the tree's scent not given it away. Surely it was another mystery of men - why did they do that to the tree, anyway? He could also see numerous brightly- coloured boxes piled around the tree - why they were there and what they were escaped his comprehension completely.  
  
Blackberry was feeling hungry again, but found that there was no more flay inside the wire with him. There was at least some water in a bowl, though, so that he was able to quench his parched throat.  
  
By now, his headache had diminished almost completely, and he felt fully alert. Just then, some of the points of light ringing the tree flashed on and off and then stayed dark. After all he had seen, this didn't especially capture his attention. But what did capture his attention a while later as he was dozing again was a strange crackling sound.  
  
The tree had sprouted new light - but not the kind of man-light that Blackberry had seen before. In fact, it was a very natural form of light - flames which were quickly growing and spreading up the tree's decorated branches, cracking and popping as they went.  
  
Blackberry quickly became alarmed. He naturally wanted to flee the fire immediately. He buried himself under his blanket again, but realized that the danger was not going away, and probably was becoming more urgent. Biting at the wire again proved futile, and Blackberry forced himself to think of every solution possible. Terror had sharpened Blackberry's already keen mind, and he explored every escape imaginable. He tried to dig through the floor of his cage, he tried knocking the wire off the base with massive kick from his hind legs, he explored every part of the cage to see if any part could be opened or squeezed through. After all, the cage had to have a door; surely it was possible to open it again.  
  
By now, the tree was a tower of fire. The crackling flames licked at the roof of the man-burrow, and were now spreading to other parts of the burrow as well. The boxes that had crowded around the tree were now in flames. Squealing in fear, Blackberry set to biting at the wire again. As he clipped the edge of the web's base with his teeth, he found that this softer material chipped off a little. That's it! he thought, and began to chew on the base as though it were lettuce. The material cracked and splintered, and the sharp edges soon gave innumerable cuts to Blackberry's face and the inside of his mouth. He could taste his own blood, which also flowed onto his front paws, but he ignored the pain and continued to attack his prison. Soon, he was able to squeeze his head through the jagged hole that he had created under the wire. The fire seemed to fill the whole burrow, and smoke was beginning to choke him. After a few more tactical bites freed another large chunk of the cage's base, he was almost able to squeeze completely through. Looking back at the fire, he saw the now skeletal tree still being consumed by the fire. It was also shifting and leaning, falling directly towards his cage.  
  
Blackberry made a final forced attempt to squeeze through the hole, and gouged himself deeply in the process. As he kicked free with his back legs, the flaming tree fell fully onto the cage. Cinders singed his hide, and as he scrambled clear of the flames, he could see that the cage that had held him only moments earlier was now being consumed by flames, as well. Spitting blood and the sharp bits of material that were stuck in his mouth, Blackberry began to search for an escape from the man-burrow. Surely the fire would consume the entire burrow, as well. Blackberry knew that fire wouldn't stop until it had consumed everything that it could touch.  
  
There was no obvious way that the men entered and left their burrow, but he knew that there must be an escape somewhere. However, after a short while of vainly searching for an exit in the blinding, choking smoke that continued to thicken, he was almost ready to give up. The flames were beginning to spread out of the area where his cage had been, and his desperate fear began to drive him tharn. Just when it seemed that there was no escape, Blackberry stumbled into some stairs which led to what seemed to be another level of the man burrow. As he climbed, the smoke grew denser, and began to burn his eyes and lungs. He reached the top of the stairs and quickly explored every possible corner of this area of the burrow, but could find no people. He was almost ready to give up in misery when he noticed a narrow opening in the side of the burrow. He poked his head at the opening, and suddenly the opening grew so that he was able to squeeze completely through. I'm out of the burrow!  
  
Quickly, though, he realized that he was still in the burrow, only in a different room. There was no fresh air, only more smoke. He scrambled desperately around the room, and finally hopped up onto a high and broad object that was covered in soft blankets much like the ones that had been in his cage, only much larger. Then something moved under the blanket.  
  
The smoke had blinded his sense of smell, and he hadn't realized that there was a human in the room. He realized that it was the boy, and he was asleep in his nest. Seeing the boy was nothing new, but Blackberry had no idea how the boy would react to seeing his pet out of the cage. Instinctively, Blackberry squealed, and scrambled off of the boy's nest. The boy awoke just then.  
  
As Blackberry was already disoriented, he wasn't able to find the door again. The boy cried out, and after jumping out of bed, began to crawl on the floor. The boy saw Blackberry huddled in fright, and grabbed at him. Blackberry responded by snarling and scratching at the boy, and scrambling under the boy's nest. The boy looked under the bed after Blackberry for a few moments, then disappeared, crawling out of the door.  
  
After waiting under the bed for as long as he dared in the choking smoke, Blackberry also went through the door, hoping again to find a way out of the man burrow without bumping into the boy or any other human again. However, he became lost in the thick smoke which by now had turned the air virtually black. Blackberry soon felt dizzy and tired, and his lungs felt as if they themselves were on fire. It's no use, I'm not getting out. I'll never see Hazel-rah's warren again. He laid down on the burrow floor and prepared to meet the Black Rabbit.  
  
***  
  
Josh awoke to something squealing and then scrambling off of him, clawing as it went. Perhaps it was Rascal again. That puppy liked doing that sort of mischief.  
  
No, Rascal was dead - so what was it? Josh opened his eyes and realized immediately that something was terribly wrong, forgetting about what had woken him. The hall light was now barely visible through a thick haze of smoke. Fire! was his first thought. He froze out of fear, then finally got out of bed and stood up, then starting choking on the smoke. He remembered what his fire fighting grandfather had said: When there is smoke / And you don't want to choke / Keep near to the ground / Where clear air is found. Josh got down and found it a little easier to breathe.  
  
Just then, he saw Hopscotch huddled nearby, too frightened too move. Now he knew what had woken him up. But how did he get out of the cage? Obviously, that didn't matter much right now. "Come here, Hopscotch," whispered Josh, reaching out. The rabbit responded by snarling and scratching at his hand, then darting under the bed. Josh thought of grabbing his pet, but he knew that escape from the house was the main concern now.  
  
Josh thought back to his grandfather's lessons. He had been told to climb out of his window and down the escape ladder (there had been one installed under each bedroom window on the second floor), and that everyone else would be doing the same. They were to all meet on the front lawn. However, Josh was afraid that his parents might not even be awake yet. He crawled out into the hallway and, as quickly as he could, made his way to his parents' bedroom.  
  
The smoke was thickening, making the hallway pitch black, and the fire's roar could be heard downstairs. When Josh finally reached the end of the hall, he felt the door to his parents' bedroom. Open it not / if the door feels hot. Josh was relieved that it was cool to the touch, opened the door, and quickly crawled to the bed and shook his parents awake. Both parents quickly sat up and Karen sat in shock for a moment, before letting out a scream that was cut short by coughing.  
  
"Get to the window," bellowed Greg, picking up Josh, and pushing his wife ahead of him.  
  
Greg tried opening the window, but it was stuck fast. After a couple of desperate heaves, some ice audibly cracked and the window flew open. Karen put Josh on the ladder. Just as he was about to climb down, Josh remembered something. Where is Hopscotch? Before his parents could grab him, Josh clambered back inside and down the hallway. Luckily, he found Hopscotch just a short way down the hall from his parent's room. It seemed that his pet had tried to follow them, but had been overcome by the smoke. Josh picked up Hopscotch and turned around just as his father grabbed him.  
  
"What are you doing?" Greg snapped, "Are you daft? You don't go back into a fire!" Greg couldn't decide if he were more angry or frightened. He dragged Josh as the boy clung onto the rabbit, then placed his boy on the ladder again. After he made sure that Josh and his wife were safe on the ground, Greg followed.  
  
The fire that had now engulfed the living room and most of the first floor, and the heat had been building up on the second floor. As Greg was climbing down to safety, there was an audible whoosh as the second floor suddenly caught fire. The bedroom window popped, showering Greg with glass, and he could see flames where his family had just been. He leapt the last few feet to the ground, landing roughly in the snow.  
  
The Whitting's gathered, shivering in their sleep wear, and watched their house be gutted by the flames. Their neighbours, the Richard's, had by now awoken to the sounds of the fire, and saw the Whitting's standing outside their burning home.  
  
Harold Richard rushed over in his coat. "Are you okay? What happened?"  
  
"I don't know, but this isn't the best day of my life," mumbled Greg.  
  
"Well, we all made it out safe," comforted Karen, "That's all that matters."  
  
"Yes," agreed Harold, "You'd better get out of the cold." He motioned to his house.  
  
Harold's wife had since called the fire department, and the first fire trucks were just arriving on the scene. As Harold guided the Whitting's into his home, Greg became curious as to how Josh had woken up.  
  
"Hopscotch woke me up," replied Josh. He held up the limp rabbit.  
  
Greg raised his eyebrows. "How is that possible? He was in the cage, wasn't he?"  
  
"Yes," mumbled Josh, "I didn't let him out, honest."  
  
As they were sitting at the Richards' living room table, Karen spoke up. "Look at him - he's bleeding. How did that happen?" she wondered. She took Hopscotch from Josh and looked at the singe marks and gouges, and noticed that the rabbit was also bleeding from its mouth. She gingerly opened its mouth and removed something sharp that had been visibly stuck in its gums. It was a sharp piece of brown plastic. "Well, look at this. I wonder how that got in there?" 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six - The Discovery  
  
"Vilthuril?"  
  
"Yes, dear?" Vilthuril nuzzled Fiver. "Your fever is even better now, Fiver."  
  
Fiver ignored the observation. "It's Blackberry. The fire danger didn't kill him; he's escaped. But not from the men. He's still with the men... only somewhere else. Somewhere strangely familiar. I can't place it just now. I don't know if it's a place that I've been, or only seen in some vision before."  
  
"Do you think that you can see where it is?"  
  
"I just can't tell right now," said Fiver in a slightly aggravated tone, "Give me time."  
  
Vilthuril pressed on. "If you can find out where, we can go rescue him... ourselves if necessary."  
  
Fiver winced. "If he is closer or further away, I can't... see it. "  
  
"Don't worry, dear," whispered Vilthuril, "We will find him."  
  
Suddenly, Fiver seemed to go tharn. Then, he started whimpering, then scratching at his head. "Oh, Vilthuril, I can see him! He's surrounded by men! They won't let him go! Light - so much light on him... so many people! Why won't they let him go? Oh! Oh! How can this be? Every man in the world can see him! They're all watching him! Let him go! Let him go!"  
  
"Hush, dear," soothed his mate, "Take it easy. Get some more rest. Blackberry will be home again, I know it." She didn't really know if this would be so, but she wanted to let Fiver believe that she believed it.  
  
*** Kehaar had started to forget the tragedy that had befallen his friends, though he wasn't prepared to pay them a visit anytime soon. He was gliding back from a mostly unsuccessful forage at a local dump (thanks to the snow), and was now returning to a place he had first heard about from some of the area's few more amiable seagulls who didn't mind sharing good fortune. This place was an elderly human couple's home on the edge of a man colony - what we would call a town. This particular couple had a now famous habit (among birds) of leaving out food during the winter. Why this was done was any bird's guess, but nobody was about to worry about it. Humans were a strange lot, indeed. Some shoot us, and some feed us, thought Kehaar.  
  
Hopefully, this day would find the elderly humans in a more friendly mood. The last time that Kehaar and some other gulls had visited for food, they had been greeted with angry squawking by the lady and the banging and throwing of various objects. Why leave us food and then chase us away? he pondered.  
  
Just as dusk was falling, Kehaar alighted in the "feast garden", and found it crowded with flocks of sparrows and various other chattering birds, but no other gulls. That's lucky for me, he thought, I can whatever share I wish with no other gulls near. After gulping down the larger portions that he could find, to the protests of the smaller birds, Kehaar noticed a familiar flickering light in the human's nest. They were watching that fascinating box again.  
  
To Kehaar, men were difficult to fathom, but had the most intriguing contraptions surrounding them. Their cars, their boats, their huge nests, their lights that chased away the night. But one thing that held Kehaar's fascination the most was how they seemed to talk to each other even when they were alone. They had objects that they talked into and that carried others' voices back to them. And, there was that amazing glowing box which seemed to show images of other places, even other times, given the daylight scenery in the middle of the night. The how and why of it was impossibly beyond Kehaar's understanding and interest. Nevertheless, Kehaar could amuse himself for hours by watching the glowing boxes inside of the nests of men, through the holes in the walls that were covered in that strange ice that never melted.  
  
But this night, it wouldn't just fascinate Kehaar. He saw something that at first shocked him, but then caused him to squawk with joy.  
  
***  
  
Blackberry was still groggy from sleep. It took a while longer before his mind was cleared enough to recall what had happened. He thought back again to the search he had been on with Bigwig, and again tried to recall what had happened. He remembered being in a large burrow with a hrududu and a cruel boy, and then that there had been a fire in the man-burrow, which he had escaped.  
  
But, then it struck him. He had tried to escape the fire, but he had never made it outside. So, that brought about only one logical conclusion.  
  
If this was El-ahrairah's warren, it looked suspiciously like another man- burrow. To make matters even more confusing, a dog's barking could be heard. How could there possibly be dogs here? This doesn't make any sense. And on top of it all, he was in another, much smaller cage than the one that imprisoned him earlier.  
  
He knew he was alive the moment another man dressed in white appeared. This human looked closely at Blackberry, then disappeared again. Not long after that, a familiar face returned - the boy who had refused to leave him alone. Oh, no not you again. The boy seemed very happy and was hopping up and down. The man handed the cage with Blackberry inside to the boy, and Blackberry again had to flatten himself on the bottom of his small prison as the boy bounced it around as he carried it.  
  
Blackberry was carried to where the mother and father were waiting, then Blackberry was carried outside, still in his tiny cage. To his horror, he was put inside of a hrududu - it was different than the one whose burrow he had been in. Blackberry protested by squealing and screeching, but the boy put him inside. How can I be in a hrududu? This is too much! The boy was also in the hrududu now, peering intently at Blackberry and making ridiculous human noises at him. Blackberry was too terrified to ponder much about how people traveled in these strange beasts. They can't be alive if we're inside of them, was all he thought before his angst heightened even more as the hrududu suddenly growled and roared into life. Soon, Blackberry had the sense that he was moving faster than he ever had before. He could see the trees passing unimaginably quickly by the windows. Blackberry finally closed his eyes and tried to drown out the terrifying sensations with thoughts of Watership Down.  
  
*** It was Monday afternoon, the day after the fire. The Whitting family was justifiably still in a somber mood as they drove back to their temporary home at Nuthanger Farm and the home of Karen's brother, Mark Cane. They had just visited Jack Clifton's vet clinic to check on the condition of Hopscotch. After a long silence, Greg was the first to break the silence. "Well, do you want to talk any more about what happened?"  
  
"The tree burned our house down and we lost all our stuff," replied Josh.  
  
Greg was silent for a moment and said wistfully, "Well, that's what they say; I suppose it's possible. I wish I had remembered to turn the tree off before going to sleep."  
  
"You needn't fret about it; it's no one's fault," reassured Karen quickly, "We're all safe, and that's all that matters." She looked at Hopscotch in his cage beside Josh and added, "Thanks to our little hopping hero there." Josh beamed at this comment.  
  
"So we can still have Christmas, even without the presents!" he said.  
  
"Yes, Christmas isn't about presents, dear," agreed Karen, "But I bet your Aunt and Uncle Cane are sure to have a surprise for you on Christmas, anyway. And your father and I will, too."  
  
A few more minutes of silence went by. Finally, Greg began again, "It was very kind of your brother to offer to share their home, and to lend their car.".  
  
"Well, he said that as soon as he heard about the fire, he wouldn't have had it any other way," replied Karen.  
  
Greg nodded and thought for a moment. "Was Mark serious when he said he was going to call the paper?"  
  
"Well, the paper's already heard from the fire department, in any case."  
  
"Yes, but I mean, was he going to tell them about Hopscotch saving us?"  
  
Karen glanced back at Josh and his rabbit and smiled. "I don't see why not."  
  
Greg sighed, "Well I reckon that will get some attention."  
  
"Daddy," Josh spoke up, "Mr. Clifton said Hopscotch is all better. Isn't that great?"  
  
"Yes, Josh, it is. I was worried when he wouldn't wake up yesterday."  
  
" Now can I bring him in the house?" said the boy, implying that the rabbit deserved at least that much as a reward.  
  
"Well, you'll have to ask your aunt and uncle about that. It's their house we're staying in." replied Karen.  
  
"Aw, Mum," protested Josh. He knew that his aunt, uncle and cousin Lucy already had lots of rabbits - but they were all kept outside in the hutch. Almost certainly, Hopscotch would end up with the other rabbits while the family was in their temporary home.  
  
As the Whitting's pulled into Nuthanger Farm, they were surprised to see that there was more attention than just the local newspaper waiting for them. A BBC lorry was parked outside of the main house. "Uh, oh," mumbled Greg, "Just the paper, huh? Now what has your brother done?"  
  
"Hey, Dad, are we going to be on TV?" said Josh, perking up even more.  
  
Mark Cane and his wife Wendy were standing outside with smiles on their faces. "Well, Karen, this whole thing seems to have snowballed," laughed Mark, "We only called the paper, honest. It was them that called these blokes." He gestured at the news lorry, then to the house. "They're just waiting to have a word with you. Said you'd be on tonight's news."  
  
*** George and Helen Fox were preparing to relax for the evening in their Whitchurch home. "Helen, the news is starting!" George sat down in his easy chair and kicked off his slippers to relax and take in the day's events. He and his wife, both retired, enjoyed this time of day after dinner. They would watch the news and then play bridge for hours, often with some of their friends that would stop by for a visit. George got up and turned up the volume a bit so that his wife could hear it better. Soon, Helen joined him.  
  
The news program began with the off-camera presenter announcing, "Monday, December 23, 1968. The world today... Or should I say, the universe... The crew of the US ship Pueblo are going home for Christmas after their release by North Korea... Pictures of Earth are taken from the Apollo 8 mission as they prepare to enter lunar orbit for the first time in human history... And, an unlikely Christmas hero here in England - a rabbit single-handedly - uh, make that single-pawedly - saves a family from a house fire."  
  
George looked at Helen. "How the world has changed..." Helen nodded in reply.  
  
Two news presenters appeared onscreen. The man spoke first: "Hi, my name is Vince Phillips. First, the story about that amazing rabbit." He turned to the other presenter, a lady.  
  
"Good evening. I'm Shirley Gardener. We've all heard about dogs, or even horses, saving people's lives. But a rabbit? Believe it. Early yesterday morning, in the Hampshire village of Kingsclere, as Greg and Karen Whitting and their seven-year-old son Josh were sleeping, a Christmas tree fire spread quickly through their home. The only reason that the Whitting's were still around to talk to our reporter earlier today was because of a wild rabbit that they had adopted just days earlier. We go now to the interview..."  
  
The screen changed to a view of a farm yard. A reporter was standing in the yard in front of a house, and his breath was visible in the chilly air.  
  
"This is Carl Layton reporting. We are here just outside of Kingsclere, Hampshire, at Nuthanger Farm - home of Mark Cane and his family. Mr. Cane is Karen Whitting's elder brother. The Whitting's are staying here after the unfortunate loss of their Kingsclere home in the fire early yesterday. Let's go now to our interview..."  
  
The scene changed to the living room of the Cane home. The Whitting's were seated on the sofa, with Josh in the middle holding a shivering rabbit in his gloved hands. Carl Layton was sitting in a chair to the side.  
  
Carl pointed his microphone at Greg. "Greg, what is the first thing that you remember from when you woke up?"  
  
Greg thought for a moment. "Well, my son Josh woke me up, then I realized that there was smoke everywhere."  
  
"Ah, so it is Josh that is the hero."  
  
"Well, I am proud of him, but I must say that it was that confounded rabbit that woke Josh up first." Josh was nodding vigorously at the camera.  
  
The camera shifted to Josh, who tried to hold up his rabbit, which promptly squirmed and growled. Josh set it back on his lap to keep it still.  
  
Carl smiled at the boy. "Ah, that's interesting, then. Where did you find the rabbit?"  
  
Josh spoke up, not shy at all about being on television. "My Dad hit Hopscotch with the car when we were going home after the Christmas play on Friday. Guess what? I was the innkeeper!"  
  
"And you did a great job," added his mother, smiling.  
  
Carl let out a small laugh. "Hopscotch - lovely name. So, then, that is one lucky little rabbit to survive being hit by a car."  
  
Josh beamed. "Yup, he was hurt bad, but he's better now."  
  
Carl sped up the recollection of events, as he knew there was a time limit for the interview. "So, it seems he is your rabbit. Was Hopscotch staying in your room?"  
  
"No, he was in the living room. My mum let me take him inside so he could see the tree. He was in the garage before, but it was too cold."  
  
Carl prodded, "But Hopscotch was in a cage, was he not?"  
  
Greg cut in. "Yes, he was. That's what we couldn't figure out at first. But, after we got out of the house, we found that Hopscotch was all scratched up and was bleeding. And, he had little bits of plastic stuck in his mouth that we figure came from the bottom of the cage."  
  
"So, he chewed his way out, then?" reasoned Carl.  
  
"That's what we figure." nodded Greg, "And he was right next to the tree when it caught fire, so that is plenty of incentive to escape."  
  
"And he woke Josh up then, correct?"  
  
Josh replied, "He jumped right on my bed and screeched at me."  
  
"It's a good thing that Josh had had a nightmare earlier," explained Karen, "That's why I left the bedroom door open, and left the hall light on."  
  
Carl nodded silently. "It's fascinating that Hopscotch would have the presence of mind to wake Josh up. No other wild animal would do that, wouldn't you agree?"  
  
Greg nodded in reply, "I must say, I'm still amazed at it all."  
  
"I guess you could say that Hopscotch is your Christmas miracle."  
  
The Whitting's vocalized their agreement simultaneously.  
  
Carl continued, "Well, this is truly an amazing rabbit. Maybe it will get an award or something."  
  
"Sure, why not," laughed Greg.  
  
"There you have it folks," said Carl, turning back to the camera, "You don't need just a rabbit's paw for good luck - the whole rabbit will work, too."  
  
After the television news went on to other stories, Helen smiled. She loved those kinds of stories that came up now and again on the news that was otherwise filled with politics, war, and crime. Helen grouped stories on the space race into politics. "Well, isn't that a refreshing change, dear?"  
  
"Huh?" said George, without taking his eyes from the television, "What's that?"  
  
"The rabbit, silly," Helen chastened modestly, "That saved that family just then."  
  
"Not as amazing as men going to the moon," replied George in an apathetic tone.  
  
Helen huffed. "Well, I think it's wonderful about that rabbit. Besides, they aren't even landing on the moon - they're just circling it. Landing and coming back again - now that might be something worth the news."  
  
George waved off his wife's rant.  
  
"Oh, bother," said Helen suddenly, looking around, "Those bloody seagulls are back. Look! They've got the nerve to land on our house!" She bellowed at the bird peering in from the windowsill. The seagull took off immediately. 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven - The Plot  
  
After the terrifying journey in the hrududu, Blackberry was surprised to see such familiar sights. He recognized the buildings of the farm from which Hazel, himself, and the others had rescued three hutch rabbits - two does and a buck. What on earth was he doing back here? Why had the people brought him here? Where were the hutch rabbits that had been here last summer? There wasn't much time to worry about that before he found himself surrounded by people inside the man burrow that was at the farm, and they all seemed to be paying great attention to him. The same bothersome boy was holding him while talking with some of the older people; once Blackberry tried to squirm free, but eventually gave up and went half tharn.  
  
Finally, things quieted down as some of the people who were carrying odd- looking instruments left. Blackberry's hope for peace was finally realized when he was carried outside in his tiny cage, and put into a new and much larger cage inside the barn. Even the ever-present boy let him alone after babbling at him for some time, and he was able to get some much-needed rest. Blackberry was wondering what could possibly happen to him next.  
  
*** After the news crew had left, Josh was hoping that his pet could get special privileges.  
  
"Please Uncle Mark, can't Hopscotch stay in the house?"  
  
"No, Josh, wild rabbits aren't meant for houses. I know he's a special little guy, but look at what he did do our sofa..." Mark pointed at the sizable tear in the fabric courtesy of Hopscotch's claws during the interview. "He's to stay outside. I'll make sure he's safe and warm, not to worry."  
  
Josh started to protest, but Lucy offered to help pick out a spot to keep Hopscotch. Josh followed Lucy and her father outside.  
  
Mark surveyed the hutch rabbits' shed. "I think it best that Hopscotch have his own cage. He'll just get in fights with the others. Personally, I think that wild rabbits shouldn't be in cages either, but I can see why you wouldn't want to part with the little fella." Mark looked at Josh, then at his daughter, who owned the rabbits in the hutch, after all, and was the rabbit expert of the family.  
  
Lucy replied, "Yes, Dad, a wild rabbit and hutch rabbits don't mix. The only reason they put up with that poor rabbit that old Bob got at last year was because it was dying anyway. Best to keep Hopscotch by himself." Lucy looked at her cousin. "Besides, you'll only be here a few days. No need to try to acquaint them. Go get Hopscotch, I'll get an empty cage, and we'll put him in the barn."  
  
Josh did as Lucy wished, and was preparing to spend the rest of the day in the barn telling his best recollection of Christmas stories to Hopscotch, but his mother eventually appeared and scolded him for being unsociable and urged him inside to be with everybody else.  
  
*** Kehaar flew direct to Watership Down with, all the while trying to consider how he could possible explain what he had seen to his rabbit friends. He himself had no clue how man was able to send images the way that they could, but he was aware of the basic idea of faraway scenes being transmitted mysteriously into those magic boxes. He had more experience with men than the Watership Down rabbits, no doubt. Of course, he often depended on man as a food source, be it fish stirred up by a boat's wake, garbage heaps, or tossed bread crumbs. Kehaar reckoned that the rabbits would consider him mad.  
  
He would have checked on Nuthanger Farm to see if he could find Blackberry, but the last light of dusk was failing quickly under an overcast sky, and he had dread in his heart of the vicious dog and silently stalking cats there.  
  
Just as it was becoming impossible to discern the horizon and the hills, he arrived at the beech hanger at Hazel's warren, performing a rather spectacular crash landing in the snow.  
  
He made his way into the hole which the rabbits had dug for him the previous summer, and squawked loudly for Hazel, or any rabbit that was in hearing range. As it turned out, that was most of the warren.  
  
A rather indignant Hazel appeared in Kehaar's lobby, snapping, "I'm sure that wasn't necessary, Kehaar. You scared all of the kittens half to death. I've a right mind to turn our marlis loose on you." Bigwig followed Hazel, scowling enough to cause Kehaar to back up a few steps.  
  
Kehaar saw no reason to beat around the bush. "Meester 'Azel, dis ees important. Meester Plackperry ees not dead! I've seen 'im!" He waited for the inevitable reaction.  
  
Hazel was silent, then started, "I see. I don't suppose you would care to explain how-"  
  
Bigwig cut in, growling, "I saw him killed by the hrududu. I saw the embleer men take him away. What are you talking about, you foolish pest?"  
  
The insult didn't even register. "Men steel 'ave 'im. I see dem vid Meester Plackperry. Just a while ago..." Kehaar decided to take the chance. "I see 'im vid da men, vid von o' man's magic poxes."  
  
"Magic boxes? What under Frith are you talking about?" replied Hazel with a most sincere tone of irritation.  
  
"Magic poxes," repeated Kehaar, "Faravay places dey see vid magic poxes. Meester Plackperry ees on magic pox. I see 'im."  
  
Hazel calmed himself. "You're saying that you saw Blackberry on a magic box that men have?"  
  
"Ya, ya!"  
  
"So what does that mean?"  
  
"'E be vid da men! 'E alive! An' 'e be vid men on da farm with rabbits in box! I know farm ven I see farm! Vere Mees Clover an' Mees 'aystack an' Meester Poxvood come from."  
  
:"Oh, for Frith's sake, Kehaar. You are truly insane. At least if you wish to tell us news, don't make up stories." Hazel was turning back to return to his burrow when he bumped into Vilthuril..  
  
"No, Hazel. I think Kehaar is onto something here. I believe him."  
  
"Vilthuril," growled Hazel, " Not you, too. I won't have this!"  
  
"I'm going, brother. Tonight." Fiver had followed his mate into the run and was now sitting beside her. "I know now where Blackberry is. With this news, there is no doubt. We must go and fetch him the way we did the hutch rabbits."  
  
Hazel considered his brother's insistence, given the past record of Fiver having feelings that proved true. Still, this was just too much for Hazel to comprehend and accept. "This sounds too crazy. I'll not have you endanger yourself like that. Or anyone else here. What of the dog, the cats, the gun?" Hazel's spoke in a slightly calmer tone, "Besides, you are ill, are you not? Get some rest. You'd best stay here."  
  
Fiver didn't say another word there. He glanced at his mate, hoping that she would understand the look in his eye, then returned to his burrow with Vilthuril following.  
  
"I sure hope that your fever is better, because I'm coming with you, Fiver," whispered Vilthuril before they drifted to sleep.  
  
*** It was first light, and Bigwig was repeating his observation to a dumbfounded Chief. "Yes, he's gone, sir. And he's taken Vilthuril with him." Bigwig was trembling with anger.  
  
Hazel thought and replied, "I should have known he would try to leave. But, I can't just imprison him - this isn't Efrafa."  
  
Bigwig was quicker to favour discipline, hoping that Hazel would see reason and send out some Owsla to bring the two wayward rabbits back. He wanted to be the one to go, and personally give Fiver the what-for that he deserved for pulling such a foolish and dangerous stunt like this..  
  
Hazel said, "Bigwig, let's go speak with Kehaar. He is still in his lobby, isn't he?"  
  
Bigwig nodded and relaxed. It didn't take as long as he had feared for Hazel so see reason. When they woke the dozing bird, Hazel was first to speak and was as direct as possible. "Kehaar, I want you to do two things. First, find Fiver and Vilthuril. Tell them to return here at once. The farm is too dangerous."  
  
"Ya, ya, I vill, Meester 'Azel."  
  
Hazel paused and looked intently at the seagull. "Kehaar, you say that you saw Blackberry on the farm through this magic box of the men. Will you bet my life and Bigwig's life that he is actually there?"  
  
Bigwig looked at Hazel in consternation. Kehaar nodded vigorously.  
  
"How do you know for certain that it wasn't just any rabbit?"  
  
"Plack-tip ears, Meester 'Azel! No udder von I know like dat! Ees 'im!"  
  
"Then I also want you to watch out for Bigwig and I - we're going to go get Blackberry. Just take our messages. And don't tell Fiver or Vilthuril anything about our going to the farm, or they'll want to come, too. Now, GO!"  
  
*** Kehaar found Hazel and Bigwig again before the middle of the day, and he was nearly out of breath. "Meester 'Azel, I find Meester Fiver and Mees Vilt'uril. I tell dem vat you say. I not tell dem you come. Dey still no come back. Dey say good Cheef vould vant go for finding lost friends."  
  
Hazel growled. "Then I want you to lead Bigwig and I to those two first - it's too dangerous for them to go to the farm alone. And go slow, Kehaar - there's much snow to navigate through."  
  
The snow did serve as an aid for finding where Fiver and Vilthuril were, even though Hazel and Bigwig knew what their friends' destination would be already. They were also concerned that elil might also pick up on the same track, but fortune was on their side in that there were no elil to be seen, heard, or smelled. They caught up with the other two just before dusk and within sight of the farm. It appeared as though Fiver and Vilthuril had been waiting there for some time.  
  
"As soon as Kehaar found us, I knew that you'd be coming along," said Fiver flatly, "And I'm glad -we need your help."  
  
Hazel glared at his brother, but Fiver added, "You wouldn't be here if you hadn't any thought of helping Blackberry. You're the most honourable Chief that El-ahrairah has ever seen."  
  
Hazel tried not to sound too upset. "Fiver, I told you that this is too dangerous."  
  
"I really don't see why you're angry with me, Hazel," replied Fiver calmly, "You know now that I was right about Blackberry. How could I not try to help him? How could you not try? You know-"  
  
"Very well," said Hazel quickly, "Let's just get Blackberry and get back home."  
  
*** As darkness fell, the rabbits crept silently through the snow toward the shed that held the hutch from which they had rescued Clover and the others. Hopefully, the entire operation would be done quickly and without incident, taking lessons from the summer breakout of the hutch rabbits.  
  
Unfortunately, one simple problem existed that Hazel had not even considered: the shed door was shut tightly. In the summer, the shed door had been left open to give the rabbits some air. Now, the door was shut tight against the bitter winter winds.  
  
"Embleer Frith," muttered Hazel, "To come this close..."  
  
"Let's go around," suggested Fiver, "Perhaps there's another way in."  
  
"Meester 'Azel," whispered Kehaar, "I no see in vindow. You get in dere?"  
  
Hazel sighed. The shed yielded no way in. The rabbits split up to investigate different parts of the shed. Hazel tried digging under the walls beside the door, but the ground was frozen solid. His work was interrupted by a faraway squeal that struck fear and dread in his heart. He ran around the shed with the others to see what had happened.  
  
Fiver stopped beside him, trembling. "It's Vilthuril, Hazel. She must have wandered off. I know that was her we heard just now."  
  
"And where is Bigwig?" asked Hazel desperately. All of the snow was packed and the scents of farm animals blotted out any other track.  
  
"He must have gone to find her."  
  
"In parn, Meester 'Azel! Meester Pigvig go for find Mees Vilt'uril in parn."  
  
Hazel grew even more worried. The barn would certainly be home to the cats. It was another good reason why Blackberry could not be there, and a good reason for Vilthuril to not go there. "Follow me, Fiver."  
  
They made their way to one of the barn doors. The bottom edge was worn and provided enough room for a cat - or a rabbit - to squeeze through. A dim light shone through the hole. Just then, a terrible mix of snarling, scuffling, and yowling broke out from within. Hazel and Fiver quickly slipped into the barn to see what was happening.  
  
Already, the scene was quieter. Bigwig was crouched on the floor, bleeding from several wounds, but ready to attack again. He was glaring at a ginger, black, and white female cat, which glowered back at him. "Let that be a lesson to you, you pet-of-man! I remember you from the summer, and I beat you then, as well. If you don't leave my friends alone, I shall kill you just like the cat that tried to attack my home."  
  
Bigwig hoped that his bluff would work. Indeed, the cat remembered her humbling tangle with Bigwig when the rabbits came to free the hutch rabbits. However, there had never been a cat sighted anywhere near Watership Down for Bigwig to fight.  
  
"You're no match for myself and my friends," hissed the cat, "You just wait here." With that, she hissed again and vanished.  
  
This worried Bigwig indeed. He could beat one cat alone, but not two, or a whole pack of them. "Hazel, we have to be quick, if Blackberry is in here."  
  
Hazel was checking on Vilthuril, who was lying half-tharn in a corner. Other than some lightly-bleeding scratches, she appeared fine. "Vilthuril, come to, already! We have no time to loll about!"  
  
"I've found him!" cried Fiver from the distance.  
  
*** "Would you get up, you lazy dolts?" the cat cried, "There's rabbit dinner waiting for us!"  
  
One of the other cats, Trax, stirred momentarily. "We've already had dinner, thank you, Ginger. Besides, we can't get a rabbit in a cage."  
  
Blackberry had been the object of much attention from the barn cats. However, earlier that day, entrails from the Christmas goose that was to be cooked the next day had been left for the cats as a special gift. That had taken the cats' attention off of the rabbit. Unfortunately for Ginger, though, she was absent for the feast, and was busy trying to catch the sparrows that clustered around the feed spread out for the cattle in their pens. By the time Ginger had returned, the feast was all but over. As a result, she was still itching for a meal, while the others couldn't care less.  
  
"No, you fool! There's three more rabbits in the barn - and they're not in any cage. If you help me, we can have another dinner."  
  
Trax noted the bleeding wounds on Ginger. "You got beat by a rabbit again, did you not?"  
  
Ginger growled. That incident had become well-known on the farm, and Ginger was not allowed to forget it. The other cats did not stir. It is cats' nature to hunt alone, anyway, not in a group. Besides that and the fact that they were not hungry, the idea of meeting an unusually vicious rabbit did not appeal to any of them, though none of them would admit it aloud. Ginger just sat there, fuming.  
  
*** "Blackberry, you are alive!" Bigwig ran into the wire of the cage to greet his long-lost friend. Hazel, Fiver, and Vilthuril crowded beside him. "We thought you were dead!"  
  
Blackberry was shocked, then elated. "I can't believe it! It's you! How did you know? I never thought I'd see you again!"  
  
Hazel got right to the point. "It's thanks to Kehaar, Blackberry, but we can talk later. We need to get you out of here. Can you see a way?"  
  
Blackberry's eyes dimmed. "I've tried all day to think of a way out. The men have made this cage impossible to escape from. Obviously, they learned from when the others escaped." He looked down and mumbled, "I fear you may have come all this way for nothing. I may never get out of this." Tears came to his eyes, as he choked, "I - I don't want to stay here. I can't take this - I'm a wild rabbit; I'm not meant to be here. I'm going to be here until I die, aren't I?"  
  
"Hush," soothed Vilthuril, "Calm down. Just think - I know you can think of something."  
  
"I can't calm down! I'll end up just like poor Reed!"  
  
Vilthuril paused. "Reed? Did the hutch rabbits at our warren tell you about him?"  
  
"Yes, some time ago. All wild rabbits die in cages!"  
  
"But Blackberry," reasoned Vilthuril, "Clover told me that Reed was already hurt by that dog. He would have died anyway."  
  
Bigwig cut in. "You're going to be hurt if we don't get out of here before those embleer cats come back. I can't fight them all off."  
  
"We can't just leave Blackberry!" cried Fiver.  
  
Bigwig replied reassuringly, "He's not going anywhere; we'll come back for him when we've got a solution to get him out."  
  
"You're just giving up! And I thought you were a fighter!"  
  
Bigwig growled and raised a paw to cuff Fiver, but Hazel interrupted. "Stop it, you two! We need to stay together!"  
  
Vilthuril was distracted, then turned back to Blackberry. "Trust me, Blackberry. You won't end up like Reed."  
  
"Yes I will," Blackberry sighed, "I'll go mad and die in here, just like Reed..."  
  
Vilthuril was getting frustrated with trying to calm her friend, so she decided to go along with Blackberry's misery. "Yes, I suppose you're right. You will end up like Reed, taken away and put in the ground by the men..."  
  
At this, Blackberry buried his head in his paws and moaned.  
  
Vilthuril turned to Bigwig and Fiver, who were still glaring at each other. "Come on, you two, there's nothing more for us to do here." She started hopping determinedly toward the barn door. Bigwig, nervous of the cats, followed.  
  
Fiver paused, looked at Blackberry, and offered, "We shall come back perhaps tomorrow. We won't leave you here forever." He then started to leave as well, accompanied by Hazel.  
  
After a while of moping in his cage, Blackberry sprang to his feet, his eyes lighting up again. "Wait! Come back!" he squealed. "I know how to get out! Don't go!"  
  
But his friends had already left the barn and there was no answer. "I shall see you tomorrow," he whispered, "I promise it."  
  
*** Hazel and the others were crouched in a hole dug out of a snowdrift just outside of the farm. "Does anyone here have any ideas at all? We can't not go back." Hazel waited for a response.  
  
Vilthuril spoke first. "We have to go back before it gets light and the men are awake. I don't think that the cats care to tangle with Bigwig, so they're not to worry about."  
  
"Oh, that's easy for you to say," muttered Bigwig, licking a scratch on his haunch.  
  
Kehaar was getting impatient. "Meester 'Azel, vere you go now? Back to varren?"  
  
"For now, we stay put. We need to think, Kehaar. Fiver, what do you make of it? Do you feel that we can succeed?"  
  
"To be honest, brother, I'm not sure what to do, exactly. We can't get Blackberry out of that cage. Only the people can open it up." Fiver paused for some moments. "But, wait... I think that's got to be it! I know we have to go back to free him, but it's not the cage that we need to worry about."  
  
Hazel was clearly confused. "What's this, then? I don't follow you. That cage is all there is to worry about."  
  
The other rabbits waited impatiently for Fiver to respond. Finally, he offered, "I can't quite make it out. I'm sorry; I need some rest."  
  
Hazel persisted. "Shall we go now, or wait until morning?"  
  
"In the morning," replied Fiver, "After the people are awake..."  
  
"We could all use some rest," affirmed Hazel, "But we shall go back - in the morning." He noticed Vilthuril's fidgeting, and added, "Don't worry. Let's just keep together on this one.  
  
"I vatch for da men for you ven you go," said Kehaar cheerily. 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight - Christmas Day  
  
"Mum! Dad! It's Christmas!" Josh was hopping up and down beside his parents' bed in the Whitting's guest room. Josh had hardly slept a wink from excitement, and he found it difficult to wait until six in the morning to wake his parents, when he could stand the tension no longer.  
  
"Josh, go back to sleep," mumbled Greg. "Nobody's getting up yet." However, the sound from the kitchen of breakfast being made by Mrs. Cane filtered into the room, soon followed by the smell of ham and eggs. There was no sleeping in on the Cane farm, especially on Christmas morning.  
  
Breakfast didn't last long, since Josh and Lucy knew what followed. The two cousins even helped with the dishes, as their parents made it clear that opening gifts wasn't to start until the table was cleared and everything put away.  
  
Finally, the Canes and Whitting's were gathered around the Christmas tree, and Mr. Cane was assigned the task of handing out the gifts. The parents received gifts like clothes, crafts, and chocolates, while naturally Josh and Lucy were spoiled with numerous toys and candies. Josh's favourite gift was a toy stuffed rabbit from his parents, to which he said gleefully, "I going to show you to Hopscotch! You look like twins!"  
  
Josh decided to put off playing with his toys to make a quick visit on his real rabbit friend, with his toy rabbit in tow. After getting some carrots and lettuce from the kitchen, Josh called, "I'll be right back, Mum," as he went out the door. Everyone else stayed in the house.  
  
After Josh left, the telephone rang, and Mrs. Cane answered it.  
  
"Hello?... Yes, he's right here." Turning to Greg, she said, "It's for you. It's that reporter from the BBC again."  
  
Taking the phone, Greg said, "Hello, Mr. Layton. Merry Christmas to you!"  
  
"Thank you, Mr. Whitting. How is your family?"  
  
"Fine."  
  
"That's great. I've got some great news for you."  
  
"What's that, then?"  
  
"It seems there was quite a response from a few people after your story on Monday."  
  
Greg paused. "How so?"  
  
"Well, a Mr. Griffiths in London in particular saw the story, and has made a most generous offer for your family."  
  
Wondering where this was leading, Greg prodded, "What offer?"  
  
"Mr. Griffiths is a wealthy stockbroker with the London Exchange. He has offered your family the use of his summer home in Basingstoke until you find more permanent arrangements. You can move in whenever you wish. He was hoping to meet with you at your brother-in-law's farm tomorrow."  
  
While they were grateful for the Cane's hospitality, the snug farm house was still quite crowded; in addition, Greg and Karen felt somewhat guilty for imposing. They had been planning on telling the Canes that they were going to get a hotel room. Now, this offer was an answered prayer. "Why, that is great news, Mr. Layton!" He smiled at his wife, who was now standing beside him, looking at him expectantly.  
  
"Then, it's set, Mr. Whitting. I'll tell Mr. Griffiths that you'll be expected him tomorrow. This should work out nicely. He was even looking for someone to house-sit for him over the winter."  
  
"Thank you, Mr. Layton. I hope you have a great Christmas; I know I will!"  
  
***  
  
The snow squeaked under his boots as Josh walked to the barn, and he was surprised at how cold it had gotten overnight. The inside of the barn wasn't much warmer, and Josh felt frustrated that his friend had to stay out in the cold. He knelt down beside the rabbit's cage. "Hey, Hopscotch! Merry Christmas! Here's some treats for you!" The rabbit was still asleep, however, and did not respond. Josh knocked on the wire, but Hopscotch continued to lay there, unmoving. This was most unusual. Normally, Hopscotch would be well aware of the slightest noise, such as the front door of the barn opening, and he would at least growl as Josh came near the cage. Josh peered closely at the rabbit. "Hopscotch?" No response still. He began to feel anxious and peered more closely at Hopscotch. The rabbit wasn't breathing at all. Josh got up and ran back into the house, sobbing all the way.  
  
"Mum! Dad! Hopscotch is sick!"  
  
"There, there, dear, what are you crying for?"  
  
"There's something wrong with Hopscotch," repeated Josh as he wiped his eyes with his mittens, "And he won't wake up."  
  
"Well, let's go have a look," offered Greg.  
  
"Let me come, too!" said Lucy, "I've had sick rabbits before." When Josh returned to the barn, followed by his father and Lucy, he saw that Hopscotch was still motionless in his cage. "See?" pointed Josh, weeping.  
  
Greg looked closely at the rabbit. "He certainly doesn't look well. I can't see him breathing, even." No sooner had he said this when Josh started crying full-force. My mistake, thought Greg, I should have said that it was just sleeping.  
  
"He is too breathing," spoke up Lucy, "I saw him breathing just now."  
  
Relieved, Greg added, "Well, let's just take him back to Mr. Clifton. I hope he won't mind a visit on Christmas Day."  
  
Greg opened the cage and lifted Hopscotch up gently. "Easy, little fella," he said, "We're taking you to the doctor again." Noting yet another vet appointment, Greg mused, At this rate, this blasted rabbit's vet bill is going to be higher than Josh's doctor bill.  
  
*** After the others left, Blackberry spent the rest of the night thinking and rethinking his plan between spells of fitful sleep. When dawn's first light finally showed through the barn windows, he was almost looking forward to the boy's inevitable visit, so that he could finally try his escape plan out.  
  
When he heard the barn door opening, and lay down on his side and closed his eyes. He breathed only as shallowly as possible, and determined to stay like that until the right opportunity presented itself.  
  
He could hear the dreaded boy calling him, and he fought all instincts to hide or even growl. He was careful to not move a muscle, or even twitch a whisker. It seemed like forever as the boy kept calling to him. Hurry up, open the cage, thought Blackberry in growing frustration, I can't stay like this forever. Then, to Blackberry's dismay, he heard the boy leaving again. Maybe this isn't going to work, he thought worriedly, What if they just take me away still inside the cage?  
  
Blackberry looked up for a moment, then heard the boy returning with some other people. He put his head back down and waited again. Maybe that hutch rabbit girl is the only one that can open these cages and the boy brought her with him, he thought hopefully.  
  
He heard the boy, the man, and the girl talking amongst themselves. The boy was crying. So at least he thinks I'm dead. But are you taking me out or not? Blackberry continued trying to take only the shallowest of breaths, but once his lungs began to grow weary, he drew in perhaps enough breath to be noticed. The girl said something and through his nearly-closed eyes, he saw her point to him. Uh-oh. You didn't see anything. However, the man proceeded to open the cage and reach in for Blackberry.  
  
His first response was to spring through the door and into the barn, but his good sense got the better of him. I'm not sure if I know my way right out of the barn, he thought, and what if one of the cats corners me? He suppressed his terror as best as he could as he felt the man pick him up. Another thought struck him. He'll know I'm alive now - I'm not cold. Is it too late already? But the man made no indication that he knew the truth. As soon as the man had taken him clear of the cage, Blackberry's nervousness overcame his senses and he decided to take his chances, rather than wait until he had been carried outside.  
  
As the man wasn't grasping him, only supporting him, Blackberry didn't have to resort to biting or clawing. He simply kicked free, and landed awkwardly on his side on the floor. In an instant, he sprang to his feet and tore off into the maze of the barn. Please, Frith, show me a door. He heard the people shouting in surprise behind him, and he knew that they would be coming after him.  
  
He almost ran right into one of the cats, and scrambled back the other way before the cat recovered from its surprise enough to give chase. Blackberry dodged into a rather large enclosure to avoid the man that was almost upon him. The room was strewn with feathers, but there were no birds to be seen. He turned around, snarling and growling at the man who was now blocking what thought might be the only escape route. The man paused, then reached out his arms to grab the escapee, but Blackberry growled more loudly, and tried to scratch and bite at the man's hand. At that, the man backed out of the place and closed a wire door behind him.  
  
The man stood outside the pen for some time before finally leaving again. Blackberry snuffled at the walls and the wooden floor and soon found that there was no opening large enough to squeeze through. This enclosure was larger than his cage, but it was just another prison. His escape attempt had failed.  
  
*** "Hopscotch! Come back!" Josh paused. "You're not sick!" he finally added in surprise.  
  
"Well, catch him, Uncle Greg!" cried Lucy, "He's getting away!"  
  
Greg was still surprised after the "sick" rabbit had suddenly sprung to life. He tried to follow Hopscotch, but the rabbit bounded through the barn too quickly. Fortunately, Hopscotch failed to find his way to any open doors. It eventually came back towards Greg, then bounded into the large room where the geese had been kept before they were sold at a Kingsclere farmers' market for Christmas. This room was designed to keep out the cats so that they would not pester the birds when they were still small. Greg quickly blocked the opening to the pen, trapping the escapee.  
  
"Let me catch him," said Greg, "I don't want you getting bitten again, Josh." Greg cautiously approached the rabbit, which seemed ready to attack, even snarling and trying to bite him. As Greg wasn't wearing gloves, and didn't want to get scratched or bitten, he backed off. Greg called for the cats, in case any were in the room Hopscotch was. Satisfied that there were no cats in the pen, he closed the door and fastened it. "Well, let's just leave him here, then. He can't get out, and the cats can't get in. We can put him back in the cage later."  
  
"Thanks, Daddy," said Josh, "I thought he was gone."  
  
"You're welcome. We may as well go back to the house now. I've got some good news for you, Josh."  
  
"What's that, Dad?"  
  
"It looks like we can move into our own house in Basingstoke - for a while, anyway. A generous fellow in London offered us his summer home to stay in, for the winter. We might be able to move in as soon as I meet with him tomorrow."  
  
Josh jumped up. "Oh, boy! Is it a big house?"  
  
"More than big enough for the three of us."  
  
That afternoon, around the Christmas dinner table, the discussion continued.  
  
"Yes, this is turning out to be a blessed Christmas, after all," Karen was saying, "We get to spend it together with family, and now we get to move into a veritable mansion, from what I've heard. Oh, I do hope we can move in tomorrow! I just hate imposing on you nice folks."  
  
The Canes waved this off. "You're not imposing at all - we're glad to have you," replied Mark.  
  
Karen acknowledged this with a smile and nod. "Anyhow," continued Karen, "I'm sure we'll have a permanent home again by spring, with the insurance."  
  
*** The four rabbits crept quietly toward the barn just as the sun was rising. They quickly scrambled for cover behind a fence as they saw a boy emerge from the man burrow. The boy made his way to the barn and disappeared inside.  
  
"Hazel, what do we do now?" whispered Vilthuril, shivering.  
  
Before Hazel could reply, Fiver said confidently, "Just wait here. That's all we need to do. Trust me."  
  
Bigwig opened his mouth, but thought better of it and remained silent.  
  
After a short while, the boy ran out of the barn and back to the man burrow.  
  
"Just wait," Fiver repeated.  
  
As the rabbits watched, the boy appeared again, this time with two others accompanying him.  
  
"What are they going to do? What are they going to do?" whimpered Vilthuril.  
  
"They're not going to shoot him, are they?" Bigwig wondered aloud.  
  
"There's no gun," replied Hazel.  
  
"Blackberry will be fine," assured Fiver, "Just wait here."  
  
After some time, the people finally emerged from the barn and went back to their burrow. The other rabbits looked at Fiver expectantly. Finally, Bigwig asked, "Well, Fiver, what are we to do?"  
  
"I think we should go into the barn now," Fiver said quickly.  
  
Upon returning to the barn, the rabbits quickly went back to where Blackberry's cage was. They found it empty. "Where is he?" cried Vilthuril, "They've taken him away!"  
  
"Calm down," said Hazel, "They weren't carrying Blackberry with them. He must still be in the barn somewhere."  
  
"Blackberry, where are you?" called Vilthuril.  
  
"Quiet!" scolded Bigwig, "You shall wake all of the cats!"  
  
"The cats will know we are here by scent, anyhow," observed Hazel, "so let's be quick about finding him."  
  
Just then, they heard Blackberry reply from somewhere back in the barn, "I'm back here! Come quickly!"  
  
The rabbits made their way to the wire door behind which Blackberry sat. "What are you doing in there, for Frith's sake?" asked Bigwig.  
  
Hazel didn't worry about this, and got right to the point. "Can you get out of there?"  
  
Blackberry put his paw in a small hole just to the side of the door. "I managed to dig up a rotten board in the floor here. It's all dirt underneath, and it's not frozen very much yet. I've already dug a bit out, but it's slow going."  
  
"What are you doing that for?" cried Bigwig, "Are you digging a burrow right under the barn?"  
  
"I'm digging under the wall, Bigwig. And I could use your help."  
  
Fiver looked at the ground. The floor was all dirt outside of Blackberry's makeshift prison. Since Blackberry had managed to get past the wooden floor on his side... "Yes! That's it! he exclaimed, "If we dig from each side, it will be much quicker to get him out!"  
  
After that, the other rabbits also caught onto Blackberry's plan. As a doe, Vilthuril was the more efficient digger, so she took the lead in the digging from the free rabbits' side. The others helped to claw away the edges and remove the dug-away dirt. It wasn't long before a sizable hole had been formed. The rabbits were so busy with their work that they didn't notice a ginger, black, and white cat sneak up behind them.  
  
Bigwig had no warning before the cat leapt onto him and bit into the back of his neck. He instinctively rolled onto his side and tried kicking out at whatever was assailing him, but he wasn't able to reach it. After recovering himself from shock, Hazel leapt onto the cat, kicking into its side with his hind claws. The cat released her grip on Bigwig and was about to turn on Hazel when Bigwig was back on the cat, biting its ear and scratching it as deeply and viciously as he knew how.  
  
Discouraged, the cat yowled and backed away from the rabbits, hissing. Bigwig advanced again and made ready to attack, but the cat cursed bitterly, turned, and ran back from whence she had appeared. The rabbits could hear other cats in the background, chuckling and offering insults at the once-again defeated cat. "Just any of you try us, and you'll be lucky to wind up as well off as your friend," shouted Bigwig defiantly. He then turned to his friends and said quickly, "Keep digging. I'll keep watch."  
  
Vilthuril resumed digging, with Hazel and Fiver helping in any way that they could. Blackberry was doing well on his side, and had almost disappeared into the hole in the floorboards, which was surrounded by an ever-growing pile of dirt. Soon, Vilthuril was able to poke her nose through a small hole in the dirt and see Blackberry's eye. "We're almost there," she said encouragingly.  
  
"Hurry up! I can hear the men again!" Bigwig's ears were twitching and he was looking towards the door on the other side of the barn. Sure enough, the door opened, and the voices of the people became suddenly louder.  
  
"Oh, Frith and Inlé," cursed Blackberry, "I'm not failing again." With that, both he and Vilthuril tore desperately at the dirt, rapidly enlarging the hole. As soon as it looked possible to squeeze through, Blackberry dove into it, but became wedged in. He desperately kicked out with his hind feet, and just managed to propel himself through, barging roughly into Vilthuril.  
  
Taking no time to celebrate, Vilthuril backed out of the hole, followed immediately by Blackberry. All five of the rabbits immediately bounded towards the door, right by the feet of the surprised people. In an instant, they were out the door and didn't look back.  
  
*** Greg was walking back to the barn, this time wearing gloves, and with Josh in tow. "Hopefully I can get Hopscotch back in that cage without too much fuss," Greg was saying.  
  
"Daddy, are we really moving tomorrow?"  
  
"Yes, as soon as we meet with Mr. Griffiths."  
  
"Can we take Hopscotch with us?"  
  
"Of course, son. He's one of the family, you know."  
  
Once in the barn, they made their way toward the goose pen that was Hopscotch's temporary quarters. Just as they were nearing the pen, they were surprised by several flashes of fur that scrambled by right underneath their feet. "What was that?" Greg wondered aloud.  
  
"Look, Daddy, more bunnies!" Josh pointed, but the rabbits were already gone.  
  
"That's odd. I wonder why they were in here?" Then Greg looked at the door to the goose pen. "Well, what's this?" flustered Greg, seeing the hole and the displaced dirt. "How did this happen so quickly?" Thinking that perhaps a badger had gotten into the barn with the hope of stealing one of the geese that were no longer there, Greg looked into the goose pen. Hopscotch was nowhere to be seen.  
  
"Where's Hopscotch, Dad?"  
  
"I don't know, Josh." Greg paused. "I know rabbits can dig, but... That can't be..." He added incredulously, "I think those rabbits that just ran past us dug Hopscotch out of there."  
  
After leading a heartbroken Josh back to the house, Greg explained the events to the others. Lucy was quick to offer her sympathy, as well as one of her own rabbits. It took Josh all day to warm up to Lucy's offer, as he only wanted his heroic bunny back. However, when the Whitting's left for their temporary home in Basingstoke the next day, Josh had another pet - Laurel the hutch rabbit.  
  
*** Blackberry was speaking in the Honeycomb, with the rabbits of Hazel's warren crowded around. "Well, I suppose they helped me. I don't know what happened to me out there. I just woke up and was in their burrow. I can't imagine that I went in there myself, so they must have found me somewhere and taken me to their home. I suppose if I was hurt out in the middle of nowhere, I would've stopped running." He paused. "But, wait. Bigwig, I remember that we were out there looking for something. Did you see what happened?"  
  
Bigwig cleared his throat. "I'm glad you asked. Those helpful humans hit you with their hrududu, and then they took you away. That's what happened to you. We all thought you'd stopped running for certain." Blackberry gasped in response.  
  
"Everyone except Fiver," corrected Vilthuril, nuzzling her mate.  
  
"Well, thank you for not giving up on me - Fiver, and the rest of you. I owe you all so much."  
  
"You owe us a story, at least," observed Hazel, "You must have quite a tale for us."  
  
"Ya, ya, you owe us story!" called Kehaar, who had made his way in to join the rabbits, "And make 'im a plenty good story!"  
  
So, Blackberry began telling his tale to his rapt audience. It went on well into the night, and even Clover and the other hutch rabbits, who for all their time with men had never actually seen the inside of a man-burrow, were amazed at what they heard. Dandelion was also impressed with Blackberry's story, and thought that it rivaled any of his tales of El- ahrairah. Everything from waking up beside the hrududu, to being in the man- burrow, to the awful boy, to the fire, to being in the cage in the barn - all was told in vivid detail.  
  
When the story was finally finished, Blackberry waited to receive the thank- you's for the story and answer the questions, before announcing that he was going back to his burrow for the first time in too long a time, and having a very long nap. Nobody argued.  
  
"Blackberry," said Bluebell, the merciless jokester, "I'm afraid I was daydreaming just then. Could you tell me that story again? It was probably fairly interesting."  
  
Blackberry hopped over and cuffed Bluebell mildly. "I guess I'm part of the warren again if I'm the target of your jokes."  
  
"You were always part of our warren," assured Hazel.  
  
With that, Blackberry went off to have the soundest sleep that he could remember - and free of any bothersome children.  
  
**********  
End ********** 


End file.
